Boring Meetings Suck: Get More Out of Your Meetings, or Get Out of More Meetings

No Introduction and Bad Introductions Suck

“Heeeere's Johnny!”

For those in the know, you can even hear the music right now, can't you? Audience members cheer, the curtain opens slightly, and the star enters. He makes his way to center stage and swings that imaginary golf club—every night. People witnessed this classic introduction on nightly TV for the late, great “King of Late Night,” Johnny Carson.

Let's assume that person being introduced is not a national celebrity or a common household name. All too often, the introduction goes like this: “Thanks, Pete. Nice work on your overview. We have a guest speaker with us today. He's next … and his name is, um, Jon Petz. And aah … here he is.”

Audience response? Who the heck cares?!

This can happen even when the emcee has been given a written version of the speaker's introduction ahead of time! The emcee (or lack thereof) either lost it or chose the easy way out. The problem is compounded by you or your speaker not knowing how to fix it—and quickly.

Why is the absence of a strong introduction a problem? Because botched intros blemish the engagement factor of the audience. No credibility or reason for listening has been established. People in the audience are given no darn reason to tune in.

When it's well done, though, the introducer presells audience members on why they should listen to and believe the person who will next have the stage. The moment speakers spew out accolades about themselves and assert how smart and successful they ...