When I first started high school, I remember my teachers provided me with a syllabus for each class. It was a requirement for it to be at the front of our 3-prong notebooks. If for whatever reason we "lost" it, 10% would be deducted from our overall grade. On this syllabus, I could find all of the standard information such as class duration, attendance protocol and what I could expect to learn for that semester. Most importantly, I knew the dates of tests and what information I needed to study. I couldn't make any excuses when test day came because I knew about them in advance. But we all still dreaded taking those tests no matter how much of a heads up we received. Most of us didn't take it seriously back then and yet that "test" word is prevalent more than ever today. That stage is a test, and even though you have an ample amount of time to prepare, there are times where it seems like the same story plays out. Some prepare and are ready for the moment. Some won't prepare, and the results can go either way. Some will sacrifice their morals, and in return, a shadow casts large over their reputation. They ultimately cheat themselves.

There is a fine line between paying homage and taking credit for content that you didn't create. You would think that one would never attempt to do the latter, but sometimes we all succumb to being guilty of not thinking things through. We are surrounded by so much inspiration that sometimes it can be overwhelming to the point that you forget reality. I witnessed this circumstance as an audience member at a conference I attended about two years ago. I was listening to a presentation by a young woman, and it seemed perfect. There was so much charisma. It felt like her words were connecting with the audience. Not once out of the 10-minute speech did my eyes leave the speaker. She was just THAT good. Or so it seemed.

A few minutes after the presentation was over, there was a small gathering of people outside of the auditorium. When I went to see what was going on, it turned out that some audience members were upset with the woman's presentation. The complaint revolved around how her stealing the entire presentation from a TED talk which a lot of the people in the crowd were very familiar with. I originally thought everyone was overreacting, but when I went to do some investigating myself, it became apparent that everybody was right. This woman had committed the ultimate mistake when it comes to public speaking: Taking credit for content she didn’t create.

So much time was put into copying everything from the original speech that she didn't realize that she had stolen mannerisms, gestures and even the flow of the originator. No thought was put into switching up those key components. The only evident change was the name of her speech. It was an overall lazy effort. This conference was an opportunity to showcase her skills and knowledge. Maybe some of those audience members could have booked her for future events, and she blew it. The chances are that it will be practically impossible for her to get another gig of that magnitude again because she now tainted her reputation.   

As a speaker, you should never take another speakers material and use it as your own, especially without giving any credit. Even if you do give credit, at what point are you willing to sacrifice your originality? At what point are you willing to give up so easily and not put in any effort? Yes, you may be getting away with delivering great content at the moment, but as soon as someone calls your bluff, your reputation is ruined. Think of the little kid that keeps sneaking to get dessert before dinner. There is only so many times before you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar. You possess too much talent to settle for the easy way out. In reality, stealing material is not an easy way out. It is hard to cover it up, and it makes your life even harder once you get caught. 

Make your next presentation, your best presentation!

Sincerely,

Julian A. Leonard
(Founder of The JLeonard Group LLC)

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