Pick up a copy of Vital Speeches of the Day (www.vsotd.com) and just look at the openings – these are from the January issue:
“Thank you all. Good morning.”
“Thank you, ___, for that kind introduction. I appreciate the opportunity to address such a capable and caring group of CEOs.”
“Thank you, Senator, for that wonderful introduction. It is a great honor to be introduced by such a distinguished legislature. And thanks to you, Mr. ___, and all your staff and to the wonderful ____ chapter, for all you have done to make this occasion possible.”
“Thank you all very much. It’s a great pleasure to be here today with our partners from here and around the globe, in industry, academia, and government.”
“Let me thank you for that introduction. Let me thank all of you for being here.”
“Thank you for that kind introduction, and thanks to all of you for turning out this evening. I’m honored you decided to be here for an evening lecture particularly after dinner.”
“Good morning. I am delighted to be here in beautiful
“Thank you very much. Thank you so much.”
What’s really going on? Dead air. And no one is going to be listening. Let’s make some assumptions: the speaker appreciates the invitation. Wouldn’t it be better to show his/her appreciation by delivering carefully prepared, thoughtful remarks? We can also pretty much assume that any introduction is going to be flattering, or at least factual, so why comment on it? It comes across as awfully disingenuous (the exception are those very, very rare introductions that are actually personal, that tell a story, but that’s another topic for discussion).
Here’s what’s key: these speakers are wasting precious moments. When you first take the podium, you’re at you’re strongest advantage – people want to know what you look like, what you sound like. Why present yourself with meaningless small talk just like everyone else does – why come across as the same-old, same-old?
In the same January issue, not surprisingly a pro – Richard L. Weaver II, retired professor of speech communication from Bowling Green State University (and author of the textbook Communicating Effectively) – shows how it can be done. His remarks begin as follows:
“Many years ago when I was just beginning my professional career of teaching and needing extra money, I sold encyclopedias door-to-door.”
You’re hooked – a story.
Another example is found in the remarks by FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III: “When you reach a certain age, you start to see the world in terms of ‘before’ and ‘after.’”
You’re hooked – curiosity makes you wonder what is the before and after he’s referring to.
Both of these speakers grabbed the audience. Start with a story, pick the curiosity, make a provocative statement, ask a question and ask for a show of hands – there are multiple ways to hook the audience with the very first words out your mouth.
Consider this speaker who started in a typical fashion: “Thank you, Jon, for the wonderful and warm words of welcome. It’s an honor and a privilege to be here today.” But read further down in his introductory paragraph and you’ll see these words: “Treat everything I say with skepticism.” What a great opening line that would have been, grabbing the audience from the get-go!
What if you’re greeted with thunderous applause? Polite nods of the head, mouthing the words “thank you” but not saying them out loud are most effective.
And what about people who really have to be thanked or VIPs that must be acknowledged? It’s going to be much more effective if the audience is actually listening – and no one is in the beginning. Make it more powerful by linking the person directly into the context of the speech – your point is reinforced, and you’ve made that individual or team feel even more appreciated.
It all comes down to not wasting a single moment of your opportunity to show your leadership, share your story, or inspire action – it’s not going to happen if the audience isn’t listening. And remember what Churchill had to say about it: “Opening amenities are often opening inanities.”
