Sorry you're having to put up with all this Auntie.
If your boss was worth fooling with,you could
take her aside and clear the air.
Something along the lines of :"I'm afraid our working
styles aren't meshing very well and the tension's not good
for anyone.
What do you suggest?
Would it help if I were to do (fill in some job you'd like
that has little or nothing to do with her.)
My friend Leslie used to be a big executive.
She'd know training and management stuff.
All I can suggest is avoid making you or her the
bad guy or dumb.
Officially,you are both canny,competent and decent people
who haven't figured out how to benefit properly from one another-yet.
This would let her know there was a problem and a reason for the
bad vibes without playing the blame game.
At best,she'd be led to find a resolution.
At worst,she'd have to take an unnecessary detour into putz mode
and expedite the departure you want.
(But how could she fire or give a bad review/references to a good
performer who sought her out to make things better?)
That's a lot better than letting things fester.
Re your talk:
As soon as you can,break it up into the small group,hands-on
tutoring you love best.
Do demoes,start folks on projects,etc.
But before that,you have to lecture.
Forget that this is a large group.
(especially if it's an auditorium with a mass of faceless
people like those colored dots on old backgrounds of crowd scenes.)
Talk to one or a handful of people.
If you can see them,make eye contact and speak to them alone
as you make your point.
(The rest just eavesdrop since you speak so audibly
)
Pick different people at different points of the room.
If you can't see anyone in particular,you do the same thing with
an imaginary participant right in front of you.
If you thrive on the practical and intimate,make your lecture that
so it's not about you doing something alien before a horde of strangers.
You're just up there being you.
You wouldn't have the job if you weren't good and the plain approach
makes it more real and more immediate.
Your audience is engaged and has to pay attention.
They can't turn on the tape recorder and catch a nap in the warm,dark,anonymity.
Once they're included in something that interests you,( the topic),their involvement
will pique your interest and you'll forget to feel awkward or afraid.
You'll be sharing a secret (how to do this task properly) and it will be no more dry,
dull and scary than if you were spreading a good bit of gossip or telling a story around a campfire.
Be honest. Be interested. Be available.
These are adults who need this information.
Unless they're idiots,they'll want to get something out of this.
If you break it down to manageable size and trust the business at hand
to speak for itself,your personality and expertise should cover the rest.
Trust yourself!
And don't be afraid to bring your audience in as 'co-conspirators' in the
plot to master this new material.
You'll do fine!
After all,you know what intrigues you and your colleagues.
You know what you needed to find out.
Inform your pupils accordingly.
(Knock 'em dead,hon!!!)