Academy awards speeches inspire if good.
Most of course are not! However, if you have to give a speech this one may inspire you. I helped one of my clients prepare it. Look for good descriptive words, modesty, giving credit to those who came before.
The Boy Scouts Have It Right: Be Prepared
An article on how to deliver an award acceptance speech.
Just like the Academy Awards, once in a while you have to be prepared to deliver an acceptance speech even if you are not sure you will have the chance to deliver it. However, even when you don’t it is a good discipline to learn how to adapt a speech you gave once before in a totally different situation. You will notice the stage direction my client added to his script to deliver it well. Hope this is helpful.
National Award Speech
It is a privilege…to be acknowledged…as somebody else’s …success.
The SBA has contributed to my business education and provided me with teachers and mentors. Their wisdom helped me as much as my earlier college professors.
Most of my clients are people you don’t want…knocking on your door. They include the FBI, Border Patrol, INS…you get the idea.
Working for these clients there is no room for failure. What prepared me for my career were my SBA and University mentors.
PAUSE…PAUSE…PAUSE…
My father was born in Hawaii to a family of Portuguese immigrants. He moved to San Francisco in 1918 where three generations lived in one house. After World War II, he married my mom and, between the two of them, they instilled in me great values…honesty and simply “Do what you said you would do.” They were thrilled I was the first person in my family to go to college. Since they were raising four children…I had to pay for my education.
In 1975, when I was 18, living on my own, I was working full time and literally starving. I realized the only way out was an education. That realization led me to become a business major at a California State University.
A turning point…was my conversation with a professor who I’ve come to call my “30-minute mentor.” I met him only once, can’t even remember his name, but I will forever remember the profound effect he had on my life.
He asked, “What are your interests?”
I answered, “The outdoor, backpacking, building things.” I went on to say, “My major is finance and accounting.”
He said…”I think you’re making a terrible mistake…those people never work outdoors…You should be in construction management. It is the business of construction. This way you can marry your education with your personal interests.”
That led me to my construction professors, mentors if you will, and I quickly fell in love with the business of construction.
You might ask, “What was the most valuable lesson you learned in college?” it would have to be…how to solve challenging problems.
And believe me; challenging problems occur every day when you work for sensitive security entities as we do. We are usually employed in fully occupied federal facilities. If we are installing nuclear weapon detectors in a busy 24/7 border station, our jobsites are literally militarized zones. In performing our work, incidents can…and do occur. Next thing you know weapons are drawn, people scream, dogs are let loose, and chaos reigns. Just another day at the office!
PAUSE…PAUSE…PAUSE…
There are those who will tell us the American Dream is dead.
SBA is doing its best to keep it alive.
The American Dream is fueled by an education that does not stop when you leave school.
The American Dream is fueled by an individual’s efforts and energy.
The American Dream is fueled by a belief that anything is possible.
Thank you for this national award and the opportunity to be part of an event that is designed, in part, to keep the American Dream alive.
Here are some links to help you. Next Fripp Speaking School and Couch Camp with Darren LaCroix is April 8-10, 2011 in Las Vegas at the Rio Hotel.
1.) How Do You Accept an Award? Tips on How to Give an Acceptance Speech
https://fripp.com/art.accept_award.html
2.) Your Acceptance Speech
https://fripp.com/youracceptancespeech.html
3.) The Boy Scouts Have It Right: Be Prepared – For an Awards Acceptance Speech
https://fripp.com/artacceptancespeech.html
