Office holiday party · The boss · Short · about a minute
Short Holiday Party Speech From a CEO (About 1 Minute)
A CEO who knew she couldn't name everyone at a big company party, and wanted to thank the whole room in about a minute and then get out of the way.
Given by Lucille, CEO of a company of about four hundred people. 124 words. The names are made up.
The toast
I've been told the food comes out when I stop talking, and I've taken that to heart.
In June, a customer mailed us a handwritten letter. Three pages. She'd been on the phone with Jean for most of an afternoon, trying to sort out her late husband's account, and she wrote to say Jean was the first person in months who didn't make her feel rushed. That letter is pinned to the board in the break room. I read it every time I get coffee.
There are four hundred of you, and I can't name everyone tonight. But I know that letter could have been written about almost anyone in this room.
Please raise a glass. To all of you, and to not rushing.
Why it works: One letter about one employee stands for the whole company, and the speech says so out loud. There are no numbers, no strategy, and no plans for next year. It's short enough that people will remember the CEO kept it short.
Make it yours
Borrow the shape, not the lines. Put your own people, your own year and your own detail in each spot, or answer a few questions and get a first draft built from them.