Keeping speeches short and sweet

I was at such an event recently and the first two mandatory speeches giving financial updates and general company information went on far too long. Firstly, this type of information is far better imparted on paper in the form of graphs where people can look at this and instantly see the situation. Listening to someone quote figures doesn't really register. And then there's the obligatory thank yous where even the cleaning lady gets mentioned - mind you she generally deserves the thanks...

At this particular event, the keynote guest speaker was an accomplished speaker who earns his living partly by giving motivational talks. He started off well with only one page of notes on the lectern - and I sat back thinking I was really going to enjoy this.

Should have stopped

He had the audience eating out of his hand for the first 30 minutes. That's when he should have stopped. But possibly he was told he had to speak for 50 minutes and so he did. How many themes can you add on to the main thrust of a speech?

You know in fact you're in dangerous territory when you start hearing the speaker saying “point one” and then this goes on without the words “final point” coming into play. By the time they do end the applause, instead of being rapturous, which it would have done if he'd stopped 20 minutes earlier, is rather muted.

No speech should ever be longer than 30 minutes at such functions, with 20 or 10 minutes being even better. Next time you're preparing a speech, spare a thought for the people who have to listen and ask yourself honestly, “Will every word really matter?”