Recently at a charity banquet, one of the speakers started out his presentation by saying, “I know I was asked to speak about XYZ,
but I decided I would just wing it tonight and see what comes out.” Well, let me tell you what “came out.” The speaker was rambling, unfocused, did not have a clear message and after about five or six minutes, you could see numerous audience members fidgeting in their seats and wondering where this whole thing was going. At that point, the panicked speaker said, “You know, I just remembered. I was asked to speak for no longer than two or three minutes and I’ve been up here for a lot longer than that. So I figured the best thing I should do is stop right here.” Huh Then, after and awkward pause, he said, “Thank you,” and walked off the podium to a smattering of embarrassed applause. It was an uncomfortable moment to say the least, but a classic example of what happens when speakers, particularly those who have an unrealistic and unwarranted sense of confidence, get up and “wing it.” Regular readers of this column know I am a big fan of speaking from the heart and connecting with people on an emotional and visceral level. (I don’t like people who read their speeches verbatim.) But those lofty goals should never be confused with being a lazy, unfocused communicator who decides to say whatever comes out of his mouth in the moment.
Connecting with people on a deeper level has more to do with preparation than most people think. You have to ask yourself what is the exact purpose of the event and why are these people attending What is the most important message I can deliver given all the things that are likely to be said by the other speakers Why have I been asked to speak at this event in the first place