Behind The Scenes (BTS) Time: My Speaking Engagement At The 2019 Think Future №2 Conference

I’ve learned that behind every successful outcome lies two P’s — People and Processes.

Today’s BTS is a #tbt to my speaking engagement in October 2019 at the Think Future №2 #Conference in Stellenbosch, South Africa, and it is focused on ‘People’.

The conference was magical.

It was a fantastic event and I am grateful for the opportunity to have participated. Kudos to the planning team — Innovation Edge — for creating an unforgettable experience.

I spoke on ‘The Power of Data and Partnerships’ to 250+ professionals across different sectors (education, health, and more) from around the world. Afterwards, several conference participants came up to me to applaud my speech and the positive impact it had on them. One woman said:

“You were amazing up there. I wish I could do what you did. You’re a phenomenal woman.”

I smiled and thanked her. And then, I went a step further to explain to her the ‘People’ part of the equation.

Yes, I believe I gave a great speech. Yes, I was prepared and knowledgeable about what I spoke on (management & execution of data-driven projects and effective stakeholder engagement). No, I did not do it all ‘alone’. Several factors help towards giving a great speech, including:

• presentation slides
• stage presence & look
• state of mind

Regarding presentation slides, it was a collaborative effort between my hubby of life (Ikechi) and I. I handled the written content and story flow, and he handled the slide design layout and graphics to go with each slide. The slide presentation was beautiful.

Regarding stage presence & look, my darling sisters Nkiru and Ify come in. I planned to wear an ankara print dress — Ify did not agree. She sent me a picture of an ankara pant suit and said “This is what you should wear”. I obliged. Nkiru picked the specific print pattern and color. The outfit was a hit and matched my ‘lioness’ hair.

Regarding state of mind, several people are involved. Hubby prayed with me beforehand and told me he knew I’d do well. My dad reminded me beforehand that I can do anything I set my mind to and he also knew I’d do well. Claudine (a conference attendee I met and formed a strong connection with on Day 1) sent me an encouraging early morning message a few hours before I spoke. It helped! I danced to Eben’s song ‘Victory’ on repeat in my hotel room while getting ready that morning. By the time I left the room, I felt super confident and excited! The Innovation Edge team set the best tone and vibe in the environment. It was clear they were rooting for each speaker.

Don’t fall into the “self-made” trap.

Behind every successful outcome lies two P’s — People and Processes. Listed above are the ‘People’ behind the scenes of my amazing experience as a #speaker at the 2019 Think Future №2 Conference.

I thank them all.

C’est la vie :) #supportsystems #data #partnerships #IWD #IWD2020