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Stupid Ways to Start a Speech (part 3)

I was going to talk about.. 

Unless this is a clever ploy to introduce a subject we didn't expect and play with our subconscious then we (the audience) really don't care what you were going to say... or even worse we may wish you'd said it, and you have only given us a teaser.. 

"I was going to tell you this really amazing story about how I got here today, but I figured I should stick to the facts.."

(This would make me go arghhh, I always want to hear an amazing story over facts)

"I was going to start with a joke but I realized I wasn't funny.. " 

(thanks for pointing that out, now I really want to listen to you!)

You get the hint.. not the dramatic 'I must listen to this' audience reaction you want. 

Stupid Ways to Start a Speech (part 2)

Before I begin... 

“Before I begin...” - you have just begun, so you better make it good.  This isn’t the time to give out ‘housekeeping’ information such as where the bathrooms are, and where the coffee is - get someone else to do that. 

“Before I begin” can, however be used very cleverly, to catch the audience off-guard and subconsciously prepare them in some way...

 
“Before I begin, those of you that have come here today expecting me to say something that will change your life may as well leave now, my words cannot do that, only your actions can..:

“Before I begin, there are some people here who are just going to listen, going to nod and then go back to their lives and not change anything they do..”

Plan the start of your speech to grab the attention of the audience, and don’t get sidetracked by any other openings. 

Stupid Ways to Start a Speech (part 1)

Can you hear me? 

So many speakers prepare wonderful introductions for their speeches and then, when they get in front of an audience they start with “Can you hear me?” 

This is not the dramatic start you intended is it? (it may be if you are giving a presentation about hearing aids). 

You never need to ask this question - you will know by the audience reaction if your voice is loud enough. If they can’t hear you, they wouldn’t hear you ask the question anyway. 

If you are in a room that is big enough that there is really a chance that your audience can’t hear you, then you should be using a microphone. If you are using a microphone you should have tested it when you arrived in the room at least an hour before your speech. 

BE YOU quote (quotes to inspire and remind us to be ourselves)

Today you are You, that is truer than true. 

There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

Dr. Seuss

How big could you grow in the right environment?

This week I read a news story on the BBC about the fossilised remains of a snake that had been found - and it was huge! The snake would have been 13m (42ft) long - about the length of a bus and as high as your hip. Impressive or scary- depending on your feelings towards snakes I guess. 

The thing that struck me about this story was:

"So snakes had the opportunity to evolve and grow as big as this one did in a way that they probably wouldn't today."

This got me thinking - how we thrive and grow is dependent on our environment, how is yours working for you? 

Most of us are lucky to have a fair amount of control of the factors around us - are we making the best of it? How is your diet, your attitude, your work ethic, your other ethics ? Given the right environment we can thrive and grow. That snake has a lot to teach us. 

If you want to read more about the snake click here.