How to Master (or at Least Not Bomb) Short, Impromptu Speeches
Six Easy Tips to Avoid Public Embarrassment
Everyone’s staring at me, and I don’t know what to do.
I’m standing in front of maybe twenty-five technicians, and I’m supposed to give an impromptu speech. No one told me I was going to be doing this. I had nothing prepared and my mind was a complete blank. Although I suppose it was my fault for agreeing when asked.
“Would you mind giving a quick speech to the workers, it would mean a lot for them to hear your thoughts on the work they do?” asked the director.
I was touring one of our suppliers and hadn’t planned on giving a speech. But why not, I thought to myself. How hard could it be to stand in front of some people and talk for five or ten minutes?
As it turns out, very hard.
I don’t have many moments where I look back on my career and visibly cringe, but that was definitely one of them. It’s difficult to explain just how humiliating this was.
I stumbled over my words and rambled on with no coherent message. I can pretty much guarantee that no one left there inspired or even mildly impressed. No surprise that that company never again asked me to speak to their workers.
