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Retirement Speech Tips

Expectations can run high. Not only does the audience expect a heart felt speech, but also a little comic relief. Utilizing our tips for Overcoming Public Specking Anxiety in conjunction with an effective herbal supplement application will help you execute an articulate retirement speech. We have outlined some suggestions for retirement speeches below:

Retirement Speech for Self

What you should do:

• Prepare for your retirement speech far in advance (one to two weeks) of your speech. Jotting something down on a napkin immediately before your retirement speech will only make you look unprepared. This approach will likely result in considerable public speaking anxiety (fear of public speaking, stage fright).
• Prepare notes or an outline for your retirement speech. Presumably you are not a professional public speaker; no one is expecting to see Barack Obama. Prepare notes that state your introduction and transition sentences verbatim (but don’t read them verbatim) and outline your key topics.
• Thank your host and/or introducer. What relationships do you have with each other? What has his or her relationship meant?
• What impact has your family had on your career?
• Which individuals in your organization do you personally want to thank? What have each meant to your personal and professional development?
• What are your plans for retirement?
• If you plan on toasting make sure you have a glass.
• Most retirement speeches last between three and five minutes. Most people speak at a rate of roughly 150 words per minute, so plan accordingly. In addition, public speaking anxiety (stage fright) may cause your rate of speech to increase.

What you can do:

• Reflecting on professional practice and/or technological changes since you started during your retirement speech will provide an opportunity for humor and help your audience appreciate how long you have been employed by the company.
• Reflect on significant historical events the year of your employment and/or over the tenure of your employment.
• Tell a joke. This is the most risk you can take giving a retirement speech. Timing is everything when you’re telling a joke. As a result, your public speaking anxiety/ fear of public speaking may really throw off your timing). In addition, remember your audience.
• Tell a funny story. Again, public speaking anxiety/fear of public speaking may hamper you efforts. However, telling a funny and endearing story about your relationship with your former co-worker can be effective. Remember your audience. A little ‘ribbing’ of your colleague is acceptable, but make sure he or she is not offended or truly embarrassed during your retirement speech.

What you should never do (not an exhaustive list):

• Give a canned joke you read on the Internet during your retirement speech..
• Swear during your retirement speech.
• Give a retirement speech intoxicated.
• Take this opportunity to take a shot at a co-worker you did not get along with. You don’t want people’s lasting memory to be about your relationship with this person. Make sure their lasting memory is about you, your positive relationships within the firm and your impact on the firm, not your disregard for a specific individual.

Retirement Speech for Another

What you should do:

• Start preparing for your retirement speech far in advance (one to two weeks) of your speech. Jotting something down on a napkin immediately before you present will only make you look unprepared. This approach will likely result in considerable public speaking anxiety (fear of public speaking, stage fright).
• Prepare notes or an outline for your retirement speech. Presumably you are not a professional public speaker; no one is expecting to see Barack Obama. Prepare notes that state your introduction and transition sentences verbatim (but don’t read them verbatim) and outline your key topics.
• Who are you? What is your name? Don’t assume that everyone in your audience knows you. Why you are giving a retirement speech?
• How many years have you worked together? In what capacity?
• What has your colleague meant to your career?
• When has your colleague been especially instrumental in your company’s success?
• How has your colleague balanced work and family? What role has his or her family had in his/her career?
• When has your colleague been especially instrumental in your professional development?
• What milestones did your colleague and/or the firm attain during his or her tenure?
• Compare notes with other presenters prior to delivering your retirement speech. You may experience undue public speaking anxiety if you hear your key story or punch line told immediately before you speak. Consequently, compare notes with other presenters to avoid overlap, promote possible common themes and create smooth transitions between speakers.
• Most retirement speeches are concluded with the presentation of a gift.
• Most retirement speeches last between three and five minutes. Most people speak at a rate of roughly 150 words per minute, so plan accordingly. In addition, public speaking anxiety may cause your rate of speech to increase
• If you plan on toasting, make sure you have a glass.

What you can do:

• Reflecting on professional practice and/or technological changes since your colleague started will provide an opportunity for humor and help your audience appreciate how long he or she has been employed.
• Reflect on significant historical events the year of your colleague’s employment and/or over the tenure of his or her employment.
• For what professional skills will you colleague be most remembered ?
• Tell a joke. This is the most risk you can take giving a retirement speech. Timing is everything when you’re telling a joke. As a result, your public speaking anxiety/ fear of public speaking may really throw off your timing (Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety). In addition, remember your audience. Your co-worker may have invited friends and family ranging in age from two to 92.
• Tell a funny story during your retirement speech. Again, public speaking anxiety (stage fright) may hamper you efforts. However, telling a funny and endearing story about your relationship with your colleague can be very effective. Remember your audience. A little ‘ribbing’ of your former co-worker is acceptable, but make sure he or she is not offended or truly embarrassed.
• Compare notes with the others who will deliver a retirement speech. Make sure that you are not planning on telling the same story or joke in their retirement speech. Hearing your key joke or story being told right before you speak may create unnecessary public speaking anxiety (stage fright). In addition, you may also want to decide who goes first and plan a transition between presenters.

What you should never do (not an exhaustive list):

• Give a canned joke during your retirement speech you read on the Internet.
• Retirement due to health concerns may not be a topic your former co-worker wants mentioned. Everyone wants to go out on top, under their own volition.
• Swear during your retirement speech.
• Give a retirement speech intoxicated
• The retirement speech is about your colleague; talk about his or her achievements, not yours. Your time will come.

Joanne Wilgren, Staff Writer ( wilgren.Joanne@bravina.com)

This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration

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