Three openings that work in any room — and one that never does.
There are three openings that work in almost any room, and one that never does. The one that never works is the long thank-you list followed by 'today I'm going to talk about…'.
The first reliable opening is the specific moment: drop the audience into a scene with a time, a place and a problem. 'It was 6:40 on a Monday morning in Polokwane, and the branch was already full.'
The second is the surprising number — ideally from the audience's own world. 'Six out of ten of you said in last month's survey that meetings waste your best hours.'
The third is the honest question, asked as a real question and followed by a real pause. 'Who here has sat through a change announcement and understood none of it?' Wait for the hands. Then begin.
Enjoyed this? Explore more insights.
All insights