23rd April 2020 – I was invited to deliver a guest address for EU Business School Munich.

The session was also open to students from the Barcelona & Geneva campuses.

My topic was: ‘Building Unconventional Careers – Taking Total Ownership of Your Journey’.

Right in the heat of global pandemic when everything was shut down, uncertainty was looming large, and morale had taken a huge beating, I was going through the added pressure of really delivering value to the audience there. I wanted the talk to be worth their time. I wanted each attendee to feel like they took back something.

But, none of us were prepared to handle a situation like Covid19.

I almost had a brain freeze for a day while preparing for the talk.

To tide over this, I genuinely needed the guidance of a Master Oogway of delivering keynotes. The Yoda of this craft.

The one person who came to my mind at that juncture, was my friend and former 5 time ICC Umpire of the Year, Simon Taufel. I immediately messaged him and he generously advised me. And just like that, a sense of calm prevailed.

Here’s what he shared:
A) The session is for the audience, not you. Focus on what they want/need.
B) Both style & content are important.
C) Technique with speaking and stories are equally important.
D) We get better with every opportunity.
E) Be yourself. Enjoy it.

Eventually, I figured the content I wanted to cover. So, as a token of my gratitude, I made Simon a part of my presentation! I had a great time giving the talk and from the feedback I got later, it was equally well received too.

Here’s what I realized: It’s okay to ask for help. Doesn’t matter how seasoned you are at your craft, reaching out for help and being vulnerable about something you don’t know, requires courage.

*****
Also, catch Simon’s episode on my podcast – Jamsters. Subscribe & stay tuned.