How to make special speeches: an impromptu speech
1. It's a fact
Shakespeare is widely acknowledged as the world’s greatest playright. But he was also the world’s greatest speechwriter. According to the Harvard Concordance to Shakespeare, Shakespeare’s plays contain exactly 31,959 speeches! Written almost 400 years ago, the speeches are still delivered in their original form to enthusiastic audiences around the world.
Not only that, the master speechwriter gave valuable pointers on public speaking - in the dialogue he wrote for the characters in his plays. Consider these useful tips:
- ‘Speak comfortable words.’ (Richard II)
- ‘It is not enough to speak, but to speak true.’ (Midsummer Night’s Dream)
- ‘Speak plain and to the purpose.’ (Much Ado About Nothing)
- ‘It is better to be brief than tedious.’ (Richard III)
- ‘Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.’ (King Lear)
As Iago says in Othello, ‘We cannot all be masters.’ True, but as managers we can certainly learn some of those tricks of the trade from the master of all speech writers.
2. Here's an idea
If you are in need of some humorous words for the farewell speech you are called upon to make to your parting colleague, then here are a few that you might consider using on the occasion:
- Retirement at fifty-five is ridiculous. When I was fifty-five, I still had pimples. - George Burns, US comedian (1898-1996)
- I am reminded of the professional football player who said when he retired from the game: ‘Ninety per cent of me is very sad, but my knees are very, very happy.’
- Former US President Calvin Coolidge had to fill out a form confirming his membership of the National Press Club soon after he left the White House. In the space after ‘Occupation’ he wrote ‘Retired!’. Next came the ‘Remarks’ column, where he wrote ‘Glad of it!’.
- He is everything that (Tom) is not. He is young; he is handsome; he has lots of hair; he is fast; he is durable; he’s worth millions; and his entire sex life is before him. - Columnist Si Burick, writing on the retirement of US racehorse legend, Secretariat.
- I am leaving because of illness and fatigue - my colleagues are sick and tired of me.
- Wherever we are, it is but a stage on the way to somewhere else, and whatever we do, however well we do it, it is only a preparation to do something else that shall be different. - Robert Louis Stevenson
3. Mark Twain on speechmaking
"It takes me three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech." …
