My first toastmaster speech is coming up this week and I need to get ready. This is a four to six minute speech.
There are some points that they want to make sure I meet.
Begin by facing the Toastmaster and saying, ?Mr. (or Madam) Toastmaster?; then face the audience and say, ?Ladies and gentlemen?? or ?Fellow Toastmasters and welcome guests?? Pause, then plunge in with your prepared opening sentences.
The speech should have a clear beginning, body, and ending.
Don?t end by saying ?Thank you.? Instead, just close with your prepared ending, nod at the Toastmaster of the meeting, and say, ?Mr. [or Madam] Toastmaster? ? then enjoy the applause!
I want to focus on The SageRock Core Value.
I want to lead in with, “I’m an atheist. (pause) But I do have at least one belief. I co-own, SageRock.com, with my wife, Rocky. We have something called The SageRock Experience. This is the roadmap for all of our actions. Within the SageRock Exerience we have:
THE SAGEROCK CORE VALUE – this is the one belief that we base all of our actions on. While other things my change and evolve, the SageRock Core Value never will.
We define the SageRock Core Value as:
The concern, respect and empathy for the individual people we come in contact with at SageRock is our single core value.
The world can be cold, unforgiving, unconcerned for the individual.
SageRock is an oasis for the individual.
That is the beginning.
In the middle of my speech I want to focus on WHY this is our core value.
Point One:
I wanted to create a place where I would want to come to work. Our main focus is not money or even the customer… it is the team member.
We’ve all worked at terrible places.
Point Two:
I have a vision of creating the largest service-based business on the planet through being the best place to work.
Point Three:
I can’t believe people don’t get this. People who aren’t appreciated or respected will never give you their all. By putting them first in the company they will take care of you.
In the end I want to talk about encouraging people to have and live by a belief. I want to talk about Joan of Arc.
“While I’m an atheist, Joan of Arc was anything but.
She was burned at the stake at the age of 19 in 1431 because she stood up for her beliefs, her country, and her God.
There is a quote from her where she discusses beliefs. She said…
I know this now. Every man gives his life for what he believes.
Every woman gives her life for what she believes. Sometimes
people believe in little or nothing, yet they give their lives to
that little or nothing. One life is all we have and we live it as
we believe in living it. And then it is gone. But to sacrifice what
you are and live without belief, that’s more terrible than dying.
?Mr. [or Madam] Toastmaster?
*****************
My introduction:
This is Sage Lewis’ Ice Breaker speech. For this speech Sage wants to discuss his beliefs and how he applies his beliefs to his business. SageRock.com is one of the top web marketing firms in the country. Sage spends a considerable amount of time researching the latest web marketing trends and is a guest speaker and teacher around the country as a leader in the web marketing industry. But his true business love is effective leadership and organizational growth. He wants to spend a few minutes talking about the SageRock Core Value from the SageRock Experience. I give you Sage Lewis.