CONNECT asides.....

I've decided to add another blog for my 'random' posts, or rather those that don't easily fit into the 'learning log' style of things - so weekly targets, new ideas, stuff like that. It's to be taken in conjunction with the main blog, but I'd rather keep the two separate so it's all neater....

Anyway, I'm about to start that so here goes....

Episode 1

Presentation day...

First entry - until now it's mainly been introductions and some guidance on presentation skills - useful stuff, but this is where the learning curve REALLY gets going. Will start using the basic structure I intend to keep up throughout.

WHAT HAPPENED/WHAT DID I DO?

Asked to conduct a 10 minute presentation about ourselves, our work and our aims & objectives for the future, incpororating our thoughts on the business plan, mentors & the exhibition.

HOW DID I GO ABOUT IT?

As usual, time in short supply - I've constructed my 'timetable', but it's too easy to underestimate how much time little things take. By the time I sit down for five mins in the evening, it's already 8pm, really hard to motivate myself to do something else, on top of a full day's work, getting the family fed, kids to bed and saying 'Hello' to the hubby. I took most of Thursday evening, best part of Saturday morning and Sunday to compose and rehearse my presentation.

WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME?

In a word, dreadful. Despite rehearsing and getting the timing just about right, either nerves, tiredness or being full of cold resulted in running drastically over-time, rambling and being too 'chummy'. Feedback received was, in hindsight, perfectly justified for my shoddy performance. What surprised me most was my reaction to that feedback - Marek's comment that I needed a reality check in terms of web sales got me really angry, and that anger lasted for hours! As I say, clearly the tutors and mentors, as practising arts professionals, know what they're talking about, and for me to feel so angry and indignant was completely unreasonable. One of my points in the presentation was that I recognise my weak points and act accordingly - clearly I'd missed that I can't take criticism!

I slapped myself around the chops, at least metaphorically, and told myself to get a grip. Feeling like I wasn't even justified in being on the course after one minor setback is pathetic, and if I'm going to make a success of things I need to toughen up.

Overall I was left with a real sense that I hadn't given them the right picture of me at all, and there's only me to blame for that.

WHAT HAVE I LEARNT/ACTIONS?

• take constructive criticism as exactly that - they know what they're doing!
• incorporate feedback into future actions more thoroughly and immediately
• pick myself back up
• research further into potential of website to generate income - should be set up within a couple of weeks so with ample promotion I should be able to get a handle on what to expect from it in the run up to Christmas
• stop talking about 'the proper job' - refer to it instead as my 'supporting employment' heheheh :)
  

All in all, a valuable, very surprising experience. I'm used to giving presentations, but (as I now realise) in a much more cosseted environment, and not about myself...

Afternoon all...

I intend to use this blog mainly for my own purposes and it's not really intended for mass consumption...as part of the CONNECT programme at Derby University we've been asked to keep a progress file that documents our learning experiences on the programme. I'll try to keep it as structured as possible, but knowing me as I do, no doubt some random (but no less relevant) episodes may well creep in.