THIS Is How You Open a Speech

THIS Is How You Open a Speech

Whether you’re giving a small talk or a giant presentation, I have a strong opinion about what a great opener should look like. In my humble opinion, it’s important to: 

1. Invite their contribution and participation in the first 30 seconds
2. Remind the group that they are, in fact, the experts—of their own experience
3. Do anything and everything you can to invite everyone to be fully present

Today’s video is a clip from the first few minutes of a recent keynote I delivered in San Diego. It is also a “real life” demo of these three elements applied to a group of 3000 super smart, executive-level finance folks.

And with that much collective experience and wisdom in the room, it would be robbery to not put them in the position of “expert of their own experience”—instead of the typical role of “sponge.” 

Inviting their contribution right away immediately broke the “fourth wall” and signaled that this session was going to be different. 

And lastly, these folks have busy lives and had plenty of “fires” going on outside the room. If we didn’t get present, there would have been 3000 different sessions happening instead of one collective experience. 

Aiming to make connection easy—online and off, 

CHAD LITTLEFIELD
Creator of the Connection Toolkit
Co-Founder at We and Me

PS – If you are interested in working with me, but logistics, finances or my availability are standing in the way, check out my latest creation: the Ask Powerful Questions Virtual Experience: An On-Demand Digital Workshop designed to make you and your group smarter, better communicators! 

The video below and link above gives you a snapshot preview of this internet-bending, time-warping experience. To be honest…I wasn’t sure if this was going to work…but it has blown my mind!