When introducing a guest speaker it pays to do your homework well.The chairperson of a local Chamber of Commerce had the task of introducing the guest speaker at the organization’s annual dinner.
He began, “The man who I am about to introduce is someone I know you’ll enjoy listening to. He is the most gifted businessman in the country. He has made one hundred million dollars in California oil.”
The speaker approached the podium but he was looking slightly embarrassed. He said, “Thank you for your kind introduction, Mr. Chairman. However, the facts need some clarification. It wasn’t oil; it was coal. It wasn’t California; it was Pennsylvania. It wasn’t one hundred million; it was one hundred thousand. It wasn’t me; it was my brother. And he didn’t make it; he lost it.”
Source: John Maxwell, Recognize the Importance of Strategic Thinking, 128-129.
Image: After-dinner speaker