Writing and Practicing Your Speech
Make sure you know how to say the recipient’s name correctly. Saying the person’s name incorrectly will be embarrassing to you and may ruin the experience for them. Double check that you know how to say their name, even if it seems easy to say. Then, practice the pronunciation so you don’t make mistakes during your speech.
Confirm that the accomplishments you plan to mention are accurate. Including inaccurate details may make the person feel like they don’t deserve their award or that you’re giving them the award as a mistake. Verify everything you plan to say to make sure it’s correct. You can do this by talking to the recipient, speaking with the people closest to them, or checking records. If the person knows about the award, talk to them directly to verify that you have correct information. If the award is a surprise, you can still talk to the person, but be vague about the reason. It may be helpful to talk to people who know them well, like a coworker, supervisor, classmate, teacher, or close relative.
Avoid talking about yourself during the award speech. The award is meant to celebrate the person who won it, so don’t spend time talking about yourself. Even if you work closely with the person or are partially responsible for their accomplishments, it’s best to leave yourself out of it. Keep the focus of your speech on the award recipient. For instance, don’t say things like, “I taught her everything she knows,” “This is a great day for me because I hired her,” or “I always knew he was going places.”
Keep your speech short to keep the focus on the award. If you give a really long speech, the moment becomes about you. Be concise and direct during your presentation so the audience’s attention goes to the winner. This is especially true if the winner will have a chance to give an acceptance speech. You don’t want to eat into the time they have for their speech.
Practice your award speech so you know it fits within your time limit. Stand in front of a mirror and recite the things you plan to say in your speech. As you do this, time yourself to see how long it takes. Keep practicing until you can give your speech within the time allowed.Variation: You might also film your speech so you can look for areas that you can tighten up or improve.
Introducing the Award
Check that the award is correct and right side up before going onstage. Remove any protective or plastic materials that are on the award. Then, make sure you're holding the award correctly so that you don't present it upside down. Finally, read the award to make sure everything is spelled correctly, including the recipient's name and the award title.
Hold the award like it’s a valuable treasure. The award will mean more to the recipient if you treat it like it’s something special. As you walk out to present the award, carry it like you respect it. Hold onto it in a way that keeps it secure but won’t damage it. For instance, you might cradle a statue or plaque between both of your hands. If the award is an unframed certificate, you might carry it on open palms or keep it in a folder to protect it until you hand it out.
Explain what the award recognizes and who is giving it. Describe the purpose of the award, such as what it honors or who receives it. Additionally, tell the audience how often it’s given out. Make it clear why someone would receive the award, like the types of achievements or behaviors it recognizes. You might say, “Every year we honor an employee who went above and beyond for our clients. This award celebrates the sacrifices and dedication of one employee who exemplified our company values over the past year.”Variation: If you're presenting the award because of your position or credentials, briefly introduce yourself and your position to establish your credibility. This boosts the prominence of the award.
Praise the hard work of everyone considered for the award. While you’re only honoring 1 person, chances are there are other people in the audience who also worked hard and deserve acknowledgement. Recognize their efforts and let them know that they’re appreciated. However, make it clear that the person who is receiving the award deserves special recognition. Say, “This has been our most successful year as a company, and it’s because of the hard work and dedication of our entire team. Each of you deserves credit for helping us get to this point, but one employee’s achievements stand out from the rest.”
Announcing the Winner
Begin with a funny or personal story about the recipient. Choose a story that’s right for the occasion and reflects the spirit of the award. Try to pick a story about an experience you had with the recipient. If you’ve never met them, read their biography and discuss something that stood out to you. You could say, “The first time I met this person it was on a video conference. They’d traveled across the world for a business trip, but a client needed to meet that day. Instead of rescheduling, this person stayed up late into the night so they could attend the client meeting over Skype.” If you’re going for a funny story, you might say, “What we do around here is serious work, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun. The person who’s receiving this award knows how to make people laugh. When we were going through our audit last quarter, they put a smile on everyone’s face by putting rubber ducks in the fountain outside our office. It was a small gesture, but it helped us get through a difficult week.”
List the person’s accomplishments first if the winner is a surprise. When you’re giving out an award that could go to several people in the audience, build suspense by listing out the reasons why the recipient won. Start with their more general accomplishments, then slowly get more specific. Once you’ve listed off their achievements, announce the person’s name. Say, “This award goes to a person who lives our values. They put clients first and never hesitate to help a coworker in need. This year they made 30% of our sales and completed half of our customer service calls. On top of that, they’re the only employee in the history of the company to ever receive a business opportunity grant. Please applaud for the winner of the VIP Award, Ms. Alison Dean.”Tip: Ideally, the audience should slowly realize who’s name you’re about to call.
Announce the winner’s name first if it’s a special award. Sometimes you’re giving an award to recognize a special achievement or a lifetime of service. In this case, it’s usually best to be direct about who won the award. Then, explain why they’re the winner. You might say, “Today we’re here to honor Diego Lopez for his efforts to build a new community center. Mr. Lopez organized fundraisers, energized the community, and overcame obstacles to bring hope to his neighborhood. Thanks to his efforts, 75 students are currently enrolled in after-school programs at the center, and a new program for the elderly is set to open next week.”
Congratulate the winner on receiving the award. When the recipient comes to collect their award, smile, shake their hand, and tell them “congratulations.” Then, hand them their award and step out of the way so they can give an acceptance speech, if one is allowed. You might tell them, “Congratulations on this well-deserved accomplishment.”
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