At a recent event in Vancouver, it fell to the President of Vancouver Kingsway, Alex Burton, to introduce me before I spoke. I was somewhat surprised when instead of the usual “I’m going to read everything from Brian’s LinkedIn page” introduction, he instead started with “knowing I was going to have to introduce Brian today, I called his wife yesterday to get the real dirt”‘ and then proceeded to tell a short and somewhat embarrassing anecdote from my past.
It was great. The audience laughed (at my expense), but it also made me more human. Before I even speaking, there was a personal connection created between the audience and I. It also made me more comfortable, as the introduction didn’t isolate me from my audience, but helped connect me instead.
If you are in politics for very long at all, you will be called on to introduce someone, some day. You’ll be handed a piece of paper with a list of accomplishments of the speaker, and you’ll be expected to read it poorly and with a slight awkwardness.
There is a better way.
Be personal. If you have any connection at all with the speaker, tell a personal story about your experience with the them. The first goal in introducing someone should be to help break the ice between them and the audience. Relating a personal experience goes a long way to making this happen. If you don’t have a personal connection to the speaker, talk with someone who does and tell their story.
Be Sincere. Whether you are relating a personal story, or someone else’s, be sincere. Remember that unless you are an experienced speaker, emotional is always easier than funny. Being funny on stage takes a great deal of practice, so unless you want the uncomfortable silence with a smattering of polite laughter, stick to stories that connect with the audience on an emotional level. It is always easier to make them laugh than to make them cry.
Be brief. No one came to hear you speak, they came to hear the person you are introducing. Say only enough to help establish the connection between the speaker and the audience, and no more.
Once you have delivered a brief, sincere story about the person, there is nothing wrong with hitting on a couple of key highlights from their biography. But this is not a job interview, and there is no reason to read their entire resume to the audience. Pick the items that are most relevant to the upcoming speech, and choose the most current items.
A good introduction has the ability of laying the ground work for a great speech. You are warming up the audience, and making the speaker feel comfortable. By taking just a few extra minutes to prepare (and practice), you can turn what is usually the most painful part of any event into something people enjoy.