Insights from Oscar Santolalla’s Time To Shine Podcast
Navigating the Path from Introversion to Public Speaking Mastery: Learn from Gautam Hazari on the Time To Shine Podcast
For CTOs and public speakers, the journey from being introverted and shy to becoming a confident and compelling public speaker is both challenging and rewarding. Gautam Hazari’s transformation exemplifies how one can achieve this feat.
As the CTO of Sekura.id, Gautam Hazari is a mobile identity guru, technology enthusiast, AI expert, and futurist. His expertise and passion make him a thought leader in digital identity, advocating for solutions to the identity crisis in the digital world and promoting a safer digital environment. Gautam is also a TEDx speaker, showcasing his remarkable journey and insights.
Who is a CTO?
A Chief Technology Officer (CTO) humanises technology, linking it with various aspects of business and people’s lives. A CTO’s role is to make technology invisible while highlighting its benefits to the board of directors, customers, society, and investors.
When a CTO Has to Communicate
CTOs often find themselves needing to communicate in situations summarised as the 4Ts:
- Technology: Explain technology to every type of audience.
- Teams: Give direction to diverse teams with their own languages and agendas.
- Translation: Adapt the tone of your voice based on the context.
- Trust: Communicate beyond words to build trust.
CTO Communication Mastery
Every CTO should master these three communication skills:
- Adaptability: Understand your audience and tailor your stories and metaphors accordingly.
- Belief in Your Message: Gautam once received feedback from a non-technical audience member who said, “I don’t know what you were talking about, but I saw your passion, so this has to be something very important, something I should know.”
- Consciousness: Always address the questions “What? So what? Why now?” that every audience member has in their mind, and ensure there is a clear call to action.
Difference Between CEOs’ and CTOs’ Communication Skills
While CEOs and CTOs are partners, their communication focuses differ:
- CEOs: Focus on “Why” and “What.”
- CTOs: Focus on “How,” “When,” and “Who.”
Related Reading
To enhance your communication skills, consider the following books:
- Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences by Nancy Duarte.
- Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.
- Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin Abbott.
Routine to Shine
When practising for speaking engagements, stand up while speaking and change your view. This prepares your brain to speak in any location and situation.
Learn More from Gautam Hazari
Gautam’s journey from introversion to becoming a confident public speaker is an inspiring example for all CTOs and aspiring public speakers. To gain more insights from Gautam, check out his TEDx talk, Digital Me – Why We Need A World Without Passwords, below:
Connect with Gautam Hazari on LinkedIn to stay updated on his latest insights and contributions to the field of digital identity and technology.
