¶ Meeting Mark Paz II: TEDx Coach
Have you ever met someone who helped you do something you never thought you could do , someone who gave you the coaching and confidence to succeed ? Welcome to Stories of Change and Creativity . I'm Judy Oskam . On this episode , I'm excited to share my interview with Mark Paz II .
He's an assistant professor of instruction in the Department of Communication Studies at Texas State University and he was my coach for my TEDx talk . Thanks to Mark , I was able to find my voice , stand on the red dot and deliver my message . Mark often shines the spotlight on others , but I thought he deserved a little time behind the microphone too .
I hope you enjoy our conversation .
I really love helping people grow by developing relationships with them . I think that's really important . One of the goals , benefits , main motivators of communication is being able to connect , learn about people and then you know the better you know someone , the better you can help them .
And to me , help and service and you know , being of service to other people is a big part of , I think , who I am .
Well , and have you always been like that ? When you were a kid , would your parents say that's kind of who you were , or ?
how did ?
you
¶ Childhood Roots of Service and Giving
get into that ? Yeah , I think so .
I think it's always who I've been I'm not exactly sure why . My parents were both very giving , open people who kind of instilled that in me early on . I guess you know my dad was a mechanic and so I watched him break his back and work his you know butt off .
A problem solver though .
Problem solver for sure . I think I've definitely taken on some of that . It's one of my favorite things to do is solve problems . And he always was like school is important , you're not going to be doing the same things that I'm doing . And so school became very important to me .
My mom , and then her mom , my meemaw they were always just very giving and caring the kind of family that if someone needed a roof , they provided it . If someone in the neighborhood was having trouble at home , they could come stay with us . You know , everyone got a plate of food .
They made sure everyone was fed , and I think that set a good example for me . Now my dad did make a joke every time like hey , that plate's going to cost you $1.50 , but also would take the shirt off of his back for anybody .
And so , yeah , I think sharing was instilled in me early on , and I think that , tied with the importance of education in my life , kind of led me down this path of teaching , which is something I actually never thought that I was going to do ever . So , yeah , I think it was instilled in me .
Well , and I got to meet you . You were my coach for my TEDx talk and I always knew you as an expert teacher for the Department of Communication Studies at Texas State and I always knew that you connected so well with your students .
But I got to really see it and I got to see you loving on those students and pushing them and guiding them and also guiding me into uncharted waters and your path to higher ed . You had some uncharted waters . Did you ever expect you would be here ?
Not a chance .
Talk about how you got here .
¶ From Shy Kid to Communication Professor
No , as a kid actually , I was so shy that I used to make my younger brothers go to the concession stand for me to get . And buy your snacks To buy snacks because I really did not want to talk to anybody . But I think when I was 10 , we moved to Brownwood , Texas , and we went to a really small school out in the country called .
Brooks , I've been to Brownwood yeah .
And so it's one of those schools , that's K through 12 , was like 170 people . So my class , specifically 21 people , and in an atmosphere like that you have to know everybody . You're going to see them every day , they know your business , you know their business , but you have to get along .
So I think that early on kind of helped shape me into a good relationship guy , a communicator , and so when I graduated high school , originally I was going to come to what was then Southwest Texas State University and I had a friend that was going to come up here with me , but then she backed out and so I decided to stay closer to home .
So I went to Angelo State University in lovely San Angelo , texas , and I at that point had no idea what I wanted to do . So the thing that made sense to me was to get a business degree , and so I did and I really enjoyed it .
I wrote a lot of business plans , learn , learned a lot about business , computer information systems , but I just didn't feel fulfilled at the end of it .
One of the things I noticed is that a lot of my favorite classes that I had to take were things like math Oddly enough public speaking or business communication , and I think the thing I took away from that degree is the importance of relationships and business and I was like , well , I can kind of take that anywhere .
And then the funny story is , after undergrad and I graduated , I was like I'm going to Texas State finally , and that was really cool because at that point my youngest brother had graduated high school and my middle brother was in the middle of his college path . So we all moved up here together , we all lived together . So that was really cool .
And I want this is terrible .
I wanted to get into the Mastcom program but by the time I got around to applying , the deadline had closed and so I was looking around at the other stuff and I was like oh my gosh communication studies sounds awesome and so I applied , wrote my , wrote my statement of purpose while I was working a summer job in a liquor store .
And then I got in and got here and and as soon as I started taking classes it was much more difficult than undergrad , but it changed my life , it opened , it made me I always love to learn and comm studies also kind of gave me a different perspective , I think , also moving up here to a bigger area surrounded by a more diverse group of people .
And when I got here I was like man , this is the spot , this is it . And those two years in grad school was trying and it was difficult but I loved it so much . And then , after I was a GIA , like a graduate teaching or instructional assistant .
And then after grad school , I stuck around and worked as an adjunct , per course , faculty member , which means I , you know , taught classes as needed , which is always kind of a sketchy way to plan your future . And during that time I also had a job at a furniture store that worked with me on the teaching . So I got to kind of do both .
The reason I bring up the furniture store is because I learned how to be pretty handy , and so one of my other loves and hobbies that kind of also adds to my position with TEDx is building stuff . Like I learned , you know how to use tools and how to build stuff and that really allowed me to I don't know be creative in this role .
It really wasn't meant to be creative , but then it was , and so , like I built the sets for the stage . So , yeah , I somehow found myself in a situation where I got to do all the things that I love to do at the same place .
¶ Building Strong Relationships and Good People
Yes , yes , and you are an award-winning teacher . You won the Presidential Excellence Award for Teaching , which , for listeners , that's a very big deal at the university and it really shows a level of excellence across the university . So that's fantastic . Thank you , yeah , fantastic , and you're up for the Service Award .
Better quit bragging on me .
I can't help it . I'm a fan , but I think what I'm hearing from you is growth , mindset , creativity , hard work and looking for those opportunities and then putting yourself in a position to where you can add value . I know it says on your bio build strong relationships and good people .
Yeah , and I think that's sort of your bio build strong relationships and good people .
Yeah .
And I think that's sort of your mission , right .
Yeah , it really is . It's corny and I know it's a simplistic view of things I know , but it's real . And I think the only way to change and this is a lot , but the only way to change the world is to be good to the people around you , right ?
And if they're good to the people around them , and they're good to the people around them and they're good to the people around them , then , you know , if we keep doing that , then it catches on and , and you know , we oftentimes think like what can ? I'm just one person , what can I do ? Well , and that's all you can do , right ?
I mean , you can , you , of course , but also , I think , being open to understanding the perspectives of others is super important , and you can only control yourself and your own behaviors . You know which ? I'm sure you teach a lot and talk about that .
I try to . I try to make some good people and you know , I also think most people are good .
So well , if you start with that right , your attitude changes . It really does . You never know , I'm telling you . You've been such a help for me and a mentor for me , and I think mentorship comes in various ways . You never know a word , a phrase , a smile might impact someone In your life who's been one of your major
¶ The Power of Mentorship and Support
mentors that you could . I know there's many , yeah , there are a lot .
I would say definitely my mom and dad , for the reasons we talked about earlier . They were so giving and I mean that was awesome . Couldn't have started at a better place . And we didn't always have a lot , sure , but I always had everything I needed .
And so then there were , you know , a couple of professors , specifically one adjunct , dr Philip Flam , in Angelo State . He was an adjunct professor , so that's kind of where I learned like , oh , you can kind of do this without having a PhD Right , and he was just such a cool dude .
And then , when I got to grad school , dr Mary Hoffman she was the grad advisor for our department and I just connected well with her . I credit her to some extent for kind of opening my eyes to things that I didn't see before . So that was really great , great . My brothers , my two younger brothers , are always a source of inspiration for me .
We all do different things and we're all so different but alike in so many ways . And then my wife man I , she's a rock star . I met her . I think you did marry up there . I'm just saying yeah she's awesome .
You know , I think one thing that's been helpful to us in our relationship is that we're complementary . We're very different . She's type A we're going to make a schedule , here's an itinerary , we're going to do things this way and I'm like that's cool man .
Things will work out the way they're supposed to , and so seeing her drive and determination and the ability to plan things has helped me in my life be a little bit more structured and and you know , I have a lot of roles here and there's a lot to keep up with . So I think that has definitely , definitely helped me .
But yeah , she's um , you know she's , she's awesome .
Uh , hopefully she's going to listen to this , um , but yeah she uh , you know I'll send it to her , but yeah , she , you know she started , she actually got her undergrad in Mass Comm and then ended up working at the scooter store which is in New Braunfels , was in New Braunfels , Texas , and kind of got into the medical world and then she that place you know
fell apart . Whatever she got out right before that but she started working at as a receptionist , front desk person at an urgent care clinic and she just like over the course of a few years worked her way up into the corporate office .
That business sold and her old boss like said hey come with me to this new venture old boss like said hey , come with me to this new venture . And yeah , she's been um , she's been doing that for a while . But just to see her step up and grow like yeah , was amazing .
And it was like , oh , this is , this is cool and she makes twice as much as I do well , that's a good thing .
So it allows me to do this job exactly . It affords me the opportunity to teach right . Well , and I see you and like , you're being a cheerleader for your wife and you were a cheerleader for me . What is it ? How can you see something in people and help them move and advance ?
Yeah , no , that's a great question , that's a real talent and I think that's a real strength you have .
Appreciate it .
Yeah , I think I've always been able to find a redeeming quality in anybody , and I don't , so I think that's part of it . I think I'm also relatively good , you know , talking about myself , judy feels really weird .
I know it does , but this is your deal .
But I think Helping people realize , celebrate and work from their strength , their strengths , is really important .
You know , if you have someone , a public speaker , for example , who's really good at content and organizing , but they're just they're not as confident delivering , well then I would let's focus on the content , let's make it so bulletproof , waterproof , whatever other phrase you want to use and so if you're delivering a powerful message , we can work on the delivery .
If your delivery is strong and you have natural charisma but you're not that great at kind of synthesizing information , well let's focus on this part . So I think playing to somebody's strengths um is is really important , and I do think that that is a skill that I'm lucky to have is see what those are in people .
And then there's also like pumping people up like you said , cheerleaders like I think it's important for people to feel confident in their abilities , because most people we are our own harshest critic . That's right .
And getting trying to get people out of their head and realizing that you do have this in you and you can do it , like that's can be pretty powerful for people . And so I take a lot of pride in in attempting to do that and that's kind of my yeah , it's kind of what my goal is .
Well , and I think for me , you really sort of gave me permission to kind of go down this path of the TED Talk and again it sounds like it's a talk and it's a 10-minute deal but the buildup and the practice and the coaching that you did I know you do that with your students as well , yeah , and your colleagues and you probably have clients that you do that
with as well .
I should , you should , you should .
Because I really think you really help tie things together and you keep the focus on the audience as well as the speaker , and mainly the message .
¶ Helping Others Find Their Voice
Yeah , keep the focus on the audience as well as the speaker , and mainly the message . Yeah , so I know you learn that from your education , but also you have some natural talents in that area , I think well , I appreciate that .
Yeah , you know , I I've never teaching for so long . I've become an okay public speaker , right , but I think it's not anything like like , delivering a talk is different from teaching . You know that , yeah .
Right .
Right , different set of roles , a different set of pressures , and I think I never don't get me wrong .
I love attention , I love being on the stage , that is the classroom and all that stuff , but I've always liked helping or seeing people grow who were doing this public speaking thing , for example , that they never thought they could do , and I think there are studies that show college students specifically , when asked what their greatest fear is , public speaking is
above death , right .
It's above death yeah .
So that's pretty wild .
I've heard that for years .
I don't think it's just college students and I , you know , I don't think that . You know students , you have a mix people that want to do it , people that love to do it , people that are apprehensive , or people that just don't like it and don't see the benefit that it will eventually have .
So I really try spending a lot of time like reminding them hey , you're going to do this , you're going to do this , you're going to have , you know , three or four more years of college , or you're going to have group projects and presentations , and after that I like , for example , I've never had a job where I didn't work on a team or I didn't have to
present information to the boss , or or even like develop like a story that I would tell so people could get to know me Like you're constantly pitching yourself and I think all of those things it's it's important to have the necessary communication skills to do that .
What do you want people to know about you at the end of the day ? What do you want people to know about you At the end of the day ? What do you want them to take away ? I can tell you what I know about you , but I'll let you say what you're Shoot .
I just want people to know that I as again corny , as it sounds I love people . Yeah , I do .
You're a real people person .
People who are perceived or think of themselves as good or bad . Like I find something in everybody because I think everybody is redeemable in some way . Not everybody , but most of the people I find myself coming into contact with and like as much as being in this field and teaching .
As much as people want to learn from me or register for a class to learn from me , like I learn from them , I always try to learn , try to learn and , if for nothing else learning about people it just gives me a wider base of knowledge for how to approach the next person , right ?
So , yeah , I just want people to know that chances are , if I've met you and we've had any conversation , that I I can't help it , damn it , I care about you .
You know a little bit .
And again I think that comes from my mom , my , my grandma , my dad , my family and , honestly , the the small school that I grew up in . Also , I credit a lot of who I am and my ability to communicate across generations even to to that , and like if I'm at a football game , I'm
¶ Just Do It: Embracing New Challenges
talking to my friends in my class , but also Elmer , their 80-year-old grandpa , who's also at the game .
Right .
So yeah .
That's great . Well and look ahead five years . What are you going ?
to be doing five years from now Hopefully something similar to what I'm doing now . I mean I don't see myself going anywhere soon . I really love the students at Texas State . I love the diversity of them . I love the things they bring to the table .
I mean we have students that are from small rural towns and students who are from big Houston-type cities and all kinds of backgrounds socioeconomic backgrounds .
We have a lot of first generation students and you know , those are my people , that's who , that's who I am , and so to be able to stay here in an area that I love teaching students that I love , who get on my nerves sometimes , of course um , yeah , so that's where I want to be in five years . I love it .
I love it yeah any last closing thoughts you would have about how to navigate your path and how you have learned what you have learned . I heard positivity . I heard growth mindset . I heard seeing the good in people .
Yeah , First I'll say in reference to TEDx and coaching and working with you , you put in the work I had to though Whoever's listening to this just know that this was not at all me , all me , you know . Judy put in the work , she took it very seriously , cared about it tremendously and had a message that she really wanted to get out to everybody .
So that's where I'll start .
I was a nervous wreck .
Sometimes . But that's okay , that's part of the process , right ? And had I been giving a talk , I would have been a nervous wreck too . I don't want to pretend for a second that it's easy for anybody , because it's not .
Looking back and then looking forward . How do you piece all that together ? What do you want listeners to know about your journey and how can ?
Um , do it . Yeah , not to quote Nike or anything , but just like , do it . Like there are things in life that are rough and tough and knock you down .
And , um , I think , like you mentioned , having a positive mindset , but not in a toxic positivity kind of way , because one has to be realistic also , but not being afraid to do something you've never done before . I mean , when I was in grad school and they were like , hey , you're going to be a graduate assistant and you'll be co-teaching this class , what ?
No , I don't want to . I mean , I want to , but I'm very scared , and so just doing it . And oftentimes what you'll find is if you just hop into something and are positive about it , but also do the legwork to build up the skills to do that thing , then it's going to go how it's going to go .
Either it's great and smooth and everything works out initially , or it's a little bumpy , but you learn the things to fix to make that better , and it's just just going for things . You know , sticking to stuff , yeah .
Thank you , mark . Yeah , thank you for being you and thank you for being my coach . Yeah , I appreciate it and thanks for having me . Thank you for being you and thank you for being my coach .
Yeah , I appreciate it and thanks for having me , and you are too kind . Thank you , jeannie .
And thank you for listening to this episode of Stories of Change and Creativity . I'll include more information about Mark and about Texas State TEDx in the show notes . If you enjoyed this interview , please rate and review the show .
It really does help the algorithms and remember if you've got a story to share or know someone who does reach out to me at judyoskam . com . Thanks for listening .