Most of the people who go out to talk about Bitcoin (and blockchain) fall in one of two categories:
1. The technical
2. The marketeer
There is usually little to no overlap between the two groups.
There is also little to no overlap in their goals.
2. The marketeer
There is usually little to no overlap between the two groups.
There is also little to no overlap in their goals.
The technical speaker usually has a huge problem connecting to any other than a technical audience.
As far as I can see, they also don't usually see the need to do so.
A few go so far as to express complete disdain for anyone non-technical.
As far as I can see, they also don't usually see the need to do so.
A few go so far as to express complete disdain for anyone non-technical.
The technical speaker is content-driven: they want to get the content across as precisely as possible, often to the detriment of actual absorption of the content.
Failure to absorb the content is put down to a disability of the audience, not the quality of the speaker.
Failure to absorb the content is put down to a disability of the audience, not the quality of the speaker.
The technical speaker is well versed in his material, and often is specialised in a niche. This niche absorbs the speaker and any other topics tend to be viewed as irrelevant.
The chosen topic itself is explored in minute details, often with wall-of-text slides.
The chosen topic itself is explored in minute details, often with wall-of-text slides.
The marketing speaker usually has little problems connecting with audiences, whatever their level.
They are absorbed by connecting, no matter what.
They will never express disdain for the audience, but will sometimes disdain real complexity of the topic.
They are absorbed by connecting, no matter what.
They will never express disdain for the audience, but will sometimes disdain real complexity of the topic.
The marketing speaker is message-driven: they want to connect and get people to join them, often to the detriment of the actual transmission of content.
Failure to connect is put down to a disability of the audience to muster enough enthousiasm, not the quality of the speaker.
Failure to connect is put down to a disability of the audience to muster enough enthousiasm, not the quality of the speaker.
The marketing speaker is usually lightly informed about the workings of his topic, and is a generalist. His drive to connect absorbs the speaker and deep probing tends to be seen as irrelevant.
The topic is presented in broad strokes, often with colourful images.
The topic is presented in broad strokes, often with colourful images.
There are few speakers in between, bridging the gap between the actual workings and the presentation to a wider audience with honesty.
They need a different skillset as they are both gripped by their topic, but want to connect their topic TO the audience.
They need a different skillset as they are both gripped by their topic, but want to connect their topic TO the audience.
Doing that requires work, every time you engage the audience. You need to probe and ask questions and BE questioned.
You need to be sufficiently informed to be able to answer and sufficiently robust to be able to say "I do not know".
You need to be sufficiently informed to be able to answer and sufficiently robust to be able to say "I do not know".
You need to be able to be both boldly visionary, but also able to deprecate that vision as provisional.
You need to be intellectually honest and able to simplify topics without dumbing them down.
You need to be intellectually honest and able to simplify topics without dumbing them down.
There are a few out there, and they are worth multiples of the other two types.
Honing the last ability will do wonders for adoption in the long term, even if it means telling people sometimes that adoption is not a good option for them right now. People remember that.
Honing the last ability will do wonders for adoption in the long term, even if it means telling people sometimes that adoption is not a good option for them right now. People remember that.
I still hope to see more of the last type of speakers (live, podcasting or writing (which is also speech)).
