Do you know how to give a speech?

Giving a good speech is hard. It can be uncomfortable, awkward, and nerve-wracking. Especially if you struggle with public speaking.

There are seven common reasons why an executive’s presentations and speeches fail:

1. Disregard for time.
2. Unclear purpose.
3. Inadequate preparation.
4. Failure to capture attention.
5. Pomposity.
6. Boredom.
7. False endings.

Here’s how you can combat these reasons so you can give a great speech every time.

How to Give a Speech: 7 Things You Shouldn’t Do

1. Disregard for time.

Face it: history has no record of anyone who gave a speech that was too short.

Many executives completely destroy agendas. Speaking too long or taking more time than allotted is an epidemic among high-level business leaders.

Remember: the length of a presentation shouldn’t be a function of title or power. If you agreed to ten minutes, do it—especially if you’re a leader.

When you start and finish on time, your audience will respect you more. It will also show that you respect them.

2. Unclear purpose.

When I’m giving a keynote speech, I always make sure I make my purpose clear.

The million-dollar question of any presentation is: What’s the point?

Executives without clear objectives for their presentation usually achieve little.

Begin by asking yourself: “At the end of this presentation, what do I want listeners to think, feel, and do?”

Good presenters speak to the head, the heart, and the hands. When you challenge people using lots of information with a limited practical application it can be more frustrating than inspiring.

If someone else is writing your speech, it is critical that the speechwriter has access to you and your ideas. Your speech will only be written as well as the input you provide.

3. Inadequate preparation.

The reason most people struggle to figure out how to give a speech is lack of preparation.

The best speakers are always prepared for what they say, even if their demeanor suggests otherwise.

You can tell when speakers haven’t prepared—they don’t say anything important. To make the best use of your time and the audience’s time, think through and practice what you’ll say.

Remember: practice makes perfect.

Think about it this way: if you saw a Broadway show in which the actors hadn’t rehearsed, wouldn’t you demand a refund?

4. Failure to capture attention.

The scarcest resource in the world used to be time; today it is attention. What you say and how you say it had better grab the audience’s attention—immediately.

In the theater, you’ll never see an actor warm-up on the audience, they warm-up backstage.

Ensure your remarks are relevant.

Post-moderns are less interested in the question “Is it true?” and more interested in the question “How does it affect me?”

Never forget to prove that your message matters to the listener.

5. Pomposity.

Impressing people is, for the most part, a head-game. When you impress people, it changes their opinions of us.

Influencing people is a behavioral game: it changes what people do because of us.

A preoccupation with self is deadly. Never make it all about yourself.

Self-absorbed speakers present to get their needs met, rather than meeting the needs of the audience.

And the audience instantly recognizes it.

One of the best-kept secrets in speaking is: the audience wants you to do well.

You wouldn’t be speaking unless someone believed that you have credibility and something significant to say. So never make the speech about yourself. Always make it about your audience.

For tips on how to read an audience, check out this blog post.

6. Boredom.

Presentation and perception go hand-in-hand.

Entertaining in itself is not a worthwhile goal for an executive presenter, but it sure beats boring.

“Amusement” comes from two words meaning “not to ponder.”

“Entertainment”, on the other hand, is engaging. The value of entertainment for a speaker is that it mentally engages listeners.

Bring energy and creativity into your presentation. I go into how you can bring energy and creativity into every aspect of your life in my book, The Fred Factor.

7. False endings.

Here’s a simple rule to remember: a good ending happens only once.

Each false ending weakens the message that precedes it.

When you’re giving a speech, focus on these 7 things you should not do. As time goes on, you will improve. Don’t give up if you find that you are struggling. Remember: practice makes perfect!

Need more tips on how to give a speech? Click here.

To learn more about focusing and prioritizing, take a look at any of my wide collection of resources. You can also consider reading my Extraordinary Living Journal —buy one, get one free!

If you enjoyed this post, here are three more articles you might also find interesting:

Better Role Models Make Better Teams
Do You Give Your Work Dignity?
Every Day is Game Day

This post was originally published on October 19, 2010 and has been updated for 2020.