A simple template for a farewell speech
A number of co-workers in our office are transferring to new opportunities, within the organization, but away from the region. We had a luncheon today to say goodbye and make some presentations. I was asked to make a presentation to one of the departing employees.
When you combine the dread of public speaking with the emotions of saying goodbye, you have what can be a stressful situation for most people. To simplify the speech preparation, I have a simple template that I use to write a farewell speech.
- Start with the obvious – an introduction that says thank you for the privilege of representing the other members of the organization in making the presentation, and perhaps why you are the one chosen to make the presentation.
- Talk about beginnings – what were the circumstances that brought this person into the company or perhaps what was your first contact with them?
- Tell about the person – what are the personal characteristic that made a contribution to the organization and to others: were they energetic, optimistic, perky, dependable, quiet, friendly, etc? Tell about the kinds of things everyone is going to miss when they’re gone.
- Cover the history – what were the accomplishments or achievements during the person’s time with the company? Use stories, quips, memories to highlight what they contributed.
- Why are they leaving? – if appropriate, touch on the circumstances that are taking them away. Look at the opportunities and challenges and wish them all the best for future success.
- Present the gift – finish by presenting the gift that is intended to serve as a token of thanks and remembrance.
Note: Not every one of these thoughts are going to be appropriate every time. If the employee is leaving because of corporate reorganization, you’ll probably omit the “why are they leaving” question. If the employee leaving is one of those who create more than their share of office conflict, I try and frame my remarks from a more personal perspective, rather than giving a false-positive picture of a warm and fuzzy workplace relationship.
Whether you’re saying a short goodbye to a volunteer coach in a youth league or making a major presentation at the retirement of a long-term employee, a farewell speech should bring conclusion and tribute for those leaving and those staying behind. A template like this will help you cover all the points you need to consider when saying goodbye.
Related Posts:
Outline template for writing a speech
7 deadly sins for speakers and presenters
Top 10 Posts for 2007
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
very unhelpful as I was wanting a template for a speech where I was saying goodbye to my fellow students at EDSS. woot woot
EDSS is the best