How To Give A Memorable Farewell Speech
It’s your last day on the job. Your colleagues have gathered in a conference room, gotten you a few nice going away gifts, and purchased a cake in your honor.
Suddenly, your co-workers begin chanting: Speech! Speech! Speech!
Your adrenaline surges, your heart begins pounding. Oh no! A goodbye speech! If you’re like most people, you’ll mutter something like this:
“Okay, well, I wasn’t expecting to say anything, but, well, I guess what I’d like to say is that it’s been an amazing eight years here. You’re all an amazing team, you’re like a second family, and we’ve really been through some ups and downs together … okay, a lot of downs together. But I will really miss you, although this isn’t really goodbye, because I’m going to stay in touch with all of you…whether you like it or not!”
101 Ways to Open a Speech Copy Tease Clickable
If your goal is to leave a final, strong impression on your bosses and co-workers, that’s not a great way to do it.
I’ve been guilty of giving that bland farewell speech as well. In 1999, for example, when I left ABC News’ Nightline, at the time one of the most prominent evening news programs, the staff gathered in a conference room to send me off. Ted Koppel, the host of the program was there, as were the executive producer, all of the senior producers, on-air correspondents, and others. Frankly, I was overwhelmed that so many important people thought enough of me to have gathered in my honor. I made it through a few sentences, got emotional, and abruptly ended my farewell speech.
Tips for Your Best Farewell Speech
There’s no specific formula for how to give a great goodbye speech to colleagues at work, but here are some tips on how to deliver your best farewell speech.
Tell a story or two. Stick to anecdotes that are humorous and self-effacing, as well as heartfelt. Don’t be afraid to offer some details of your personal biography – particularly an episode that captures a universal human experience or condition.
Reveal gratitude or offer thanks. Share with your colleagues how they helped you to do your job better, allowed you to grow as a person, and/or helped you to understand something about yourself.
Keep it short and sweet. Strip your stories and remarks to their most essential details. It will help you to pack a lot of content – and offer a meaningful message – in a short amount of time.
Make it original. When you focus on personal anecdotes and revelations, you deliver a farewell speech that is unique to you and far from trite.
Take some example of Goodbye Speech to Colleagues
