The holy grail of speaking isn’t giving a TED talk — it’s managing your day job

Ever met someone and thought, “ZOMG you are sooo amazing and can do anything, but your beliefs are really holding you back!”

You can’t say it out loud because… you just met them!

Well, early last year I met Jisha Abubaker, who has been a software engineer for the past twelve years. Jisha told me how she wanted to lead a team, but didn’t think it was possible.

She didn’t think it was possible because she believed the following:

• “I’m a shy person and don’t think I can change.”
• “Because I’m a shy person, I shouldn’t consider a career in engineering management.”
• “I don’t know how to say no or push back effectively.”
• “I hate interviewing, and panic when I hear my own voice.”
• “I’m fine one-on-one, but struggle with speaking in front of a bigger group.”
• “The last time I gave a talk was in sixth grade and I froze during it!”
• “Public speaking is for people who want to give a TED talk.”

Despite Jisha’s stellar technical chops, her beliefs were holding her back from having the career she really wanted.

While I believed Femgineer’s Confident Communicator Course could help Jisha catapult her career, ultimately, she needed to believe and choose to attend the course on her own.

If you’ve got a similar recording playing in your head that is holding you back, then watch today’s video. In it, we’ll walk you through a brief interview, and you’ll learn from Jisha:

• Why she finally decided public speaking was important and chose to take Femgineer’s Confident Communicator Course
• How the course has helped her improve her interview skills and catapulted her career in just a short amount of time
• Why she would recommend other people who are shy, nervous, and struggle to speak up should invest in improving their public speaking skills

Once you’ve watched this video, I’d love to hear from you! In the comments, share your career aspiration and one belief that is holding you back from accomplishing it.

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