When was the last time you gave a speech? I gave a big one a month ago, and I practiced my butt off. Midway through, I realized something...my intro was great. I knew it like the back of my hand. I'd messed up somewhere in the middle so often and restarted so often that I'd said the beginning about 50 times. I said the middle probably 25. The end...maybe 10.
I'm listening to the Republican debate right now. Mitt Romney just spent a great two minutes talking...then blew it with a weak ending. All politics aside, the ending ruined an otherwise very strongly argued point.
Seth talked today about first dates, first impressions, and how well crafted they are. But what happens at the END of the first date? Matters probably more than when you pick her up? Mess up the first kiss? Have you ever seen Hitch?
When I realized I knew the beginning of the speech I spent a lot of time practicing the end. Your last sentence has to be as good as your first. So next time you have something big, sure, practice the handshake, but have a plan for the goodbye.
The last impression almost lasts a lifetime too.
Brent,
As a speech guy, I have to agree with you. Churchill said, (I'm quoting loosely) "In order to make a good presentation, you need a strong opening and a dynamic ending and you need to put those two things as close together as possible."
Most presentations are shaped like hammocks. The start is promising (hope springs eternal), and the end is nice (because it means the damn thing is ending) but the middle tends to sag.
Most speeches are like the horns of a Texas steer--a point here, a point there, and a lot of bull in between.
Science has a name for the importance of the beginning and the ending: the principle of primacy and recency.
The principle of primacy speaks to the power of first impressions, which is well documented.
The principle of recency speaks to the power of last impressions, which is not trumpeted so often.
Think of the ending of The Sopranos, which forced us to imagine what happened.
Think of the ending of the Gettysburg Address ("...shall not perish from the earth.") which dramatically clashes with the whole purpose of the speech (honoring those who in fact DID perish.)
And there's that old saying from show biz--leave 'em laughing when you go.
By the way, you should read the last sentence of Obama's victory speech in South Carolina. It's a great peroration, a long winding sentence, built layer by layer, with commas and semicolons, pauses and repetitions, thundering generalities and arresting specifics, until at last it breaks forth into a defiant cry, despite all the cynicism and entropy in our country, to say, "Yes we can."
And by the way, I admire your hard work. Same with me. I work my butt off when I have to speak because I'm constantly telling other people how to do it, and I want to be good myself.
Takes work.
Sims Wyeth
Sims Wyeth & Co.
973-783-4205
www.simswyeth.com
Posted by: Sims Wyeth | January 27, 2008 at 04:06 PM