Ooooooops - Foot In Mouth Strikes Me
Ooooooops - Foot In Mouth Strikes MeI gave a speech on Friday night to Business students at a local College's Gala Business Awards Night. There were 100 students (16 year olds mostly) and about another 60 teachers, sponsors, mentors and the like at the dinner.
Just like I try and do on this blog, I wanted to give some concrete examples to back up what I was saying. I mentioned Virgin's Richard Branson.
Then things got messy:
"......because they've developed the brand in such a way that you expect to have a good Virgin experience. It's great to have a good Virgin experience....."
Oooooops.
- That's when the titters of giggling began.
- About the same time my face went bright red.
- About the same time I started fanning myself saying "Man, it's suddenly very hot in here. Who turned the air-conditioning off?!"
It's Important Your Speech Is Memorable!
Oh well! At least the speech was memorable.
If you do any public speaking the main aim is to entertain.
Top 10 Tips
Here are the top 10 public speaking tips from the Toastmasters web site - all good stuff.
My pet hate is # 7 - "Don't apologize."
I'd guess that 80% of speakers apologise for their speech as the very first thing they say.
The start of my speech on Friday night was to mention how good it was that I could write my own introduction - "Just how fantastic am I??"
And I mentioned that I'd preferred to be welcomed to the stage with 3 cheers - which I duly received after leading the audience into it!
I'm such a poser that it defies belief.
Brendon
[ comments ]
(From an 18 year old)
Is this an alternative to high school education track ... or do your high school students graduate at 14 or 15?
Howdy Dave
Here in Australia many of our high schools are called colleges (5 - 18 yo).
High school/college finishes in Year 12 (18 year olds). I spoke to mostly Year 11 (16-17 yos).
Then it's off to University (which Americans call College) after year 12.
Hope that helps.
Cheers
Brendon
Most Americans don't say "off to university", they say "off to college", even if they are attending a University. We have 4 year "post secondary" schools known as colleges at the baccalaureate level that are completely free-standing and of course we also have the semi-European model of large universities made up of associated colleges. It's a wonder anyone gets educated.
Secondary schools outside the normal public high school area, typically imitation English boarding schools, military schools or specialty technical or performing arts schools are mostly (but certainly not always) be referred to as academies.
So in Oz then it's very common for a student to leave his/her 16th year of education with 4 years of college plus 4 years of university?
Them Aussies is certainly well edumacated LoL