Dean's side job!

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by Cory

I think it just shows that he's not a very engaging public speaker, which there's nothing wrong with. Plenty of people are not great public speakers. I know I'm one of them.

I think he's gotten somewhat better lately too. His older speeches would just put me to sleep the second he started talking.

P.S. Someone mentioned his appearance on the Colbert Report. I actually thought he did a really good job there--he wasn't boring and monotonous and showed some personality.

Yea, I do agree with some points both of you guys have. And yes, he is getting better. His appearance on the Colbert Report was quite funny.

[pafwl]

I am 53 and just wish I could have accomplished a little of what he did. You are all concerned about how he speaks. His is not a great speaker but what he gets others to do speaks volumes. There is something to be learned here. You will learn many talk, Dean does. My suggestion is...shut up, listen and do.

[Conor Ryan]

TED is an incredible conference, it consistently attracts some of the top minds and some of the most successful people in the world. Anyway, that being said, Dean's speech is just one of the many speeches you can find on that site, each of them just as interesting. Anyway, I encourage anyone to go and watch any of those videos, inspiration is guaranteed!

As for Dean's public speaking ability, I don't think any of us can say we have been on the same stage as him enough to compare, but he does generally have a great topic. I just hope I can speak at the conference one day....

[artdutra04]

Every time I've heard one of Dean's speeches outside of a FIRST-related event, I've always been blown away.

Not because they are boring, but because they just seem more exciting, more interesting. Even when he turns the topic back to FIRST and inspiring students, he does so in a way which is quite different - and frankly, better - than when he is speaking at a FIRST event.

I can't quite place anything specific that's different, it's just the whole atmosphere of the speech seems lighter and more optimistic. (Most of his speeches at FIRST events are slow and monotonous.)