| A Retirement Speech can often be one of the | | | | Be sincere. Smile, Eye Contact, Slow and Still |
| most nerve-racking things that anyone can do, | | | | allows the meaning of your words to really take |
| but there are several techniques that the most | | | | effect. |
| experienced speakers use to ensure that most | | | | Stop worrying. It's human to make a mistake, or |
| people don't notice the stress. | | | | stumble over a word -professional Newsreaders |
| Smile. Far and away the most important of these | | | | and Presenters do it all the time. So don't be too |
| is smile. You may be nervous, but when you smile | | | | hard on yourself - just say the stumbled over |
| you look like you're happy and people like to listen | | | | word or phrase again and carry on. Your |
| to happy people. | | | | colleagues know you as you are, and they'll be |
| Look at your audience. Make as much eye | | | | more impressed that you're smiling, making eye |
| contact as possible with everyone who is listening | | | | contact, standing still, using pauses and looking and |
| to you. You'll see friendly faces which will give you | | | | sounding like you are enjoying yourself. |
| re-assurance. Confident speakers look at several | | | | Speaking time. No matter how interesting you |
| different points in their audience - even if you look | | | | may think you are no one wants to listen to |
| in the general direction of the room, different | | | | someone drone on and on. Keep your stories and |
| people will assume you are talking to them. | | | | anecdotes short and happy ... 10 minutes ... 15 |
| Slow down. Slow down the overall pace of your | | | | minutes ... not much more. |
| delivery. Don't forget to use pauses, it allows time | | | | Another piece of advice is: you need a better |
| for a point to sink in, or for you to gather your | | | | speech at your retirement. So go online and buy a |
| thoughts, or for people to laugh at something | | | | retirement speech from a reputable speech |
| humorous you've said. When you combine a | | | | provider like 'need-a-speech'. Even if you don't use |
| pause with good eye contact you will look like a | | | | the speech that you buy you'll find that it provides |
| relaxed professional. | | | | you with an excellent template for a better |
| Stand still. When you stand up to speak, smile, | | | | retirement speech. So for a relatively modest |
| breathe in and out slowly, keep smiling, and above | | | | investment of $18 or thereabouts you can make |
| all, begin slowly. It's sometimes very useful to hold | | | | yours a better retirement speech. It's certainly |
| something in your hands and to hold on to the | | | | well worth a look. |
| back of a chair for comfort and support. | | | | |