Let’s face it. One of the most prized possessions you will ever get in life is to be rewarded for a job well done.
It gets even sweeter when you have worked hard so hard your whole life and have been recognized for making a positive contribution to humanity.
Nonetheless, it’s not an easy thing when you are asked to deliver a few remarks after receiving your award. Your audience love, admire and respect you and are expecting you to tell them how you made it.
With all eyes on you and everyone applauding you for your excellent work, you might be a blubbering idiot if you don’t prepare very well ahead of time or even decide to wing it. No matter what you feel about speaking in public, you can make a difference if we work together with you.
If you have never made one before, then we are giving you a chance to come up with something inspiring and memorable without pulling your hair out!
Award ceremony around the corner? Or happening in less than 24 hours? Trust me, we can deliver! it doesn’t matter if your speech is today, tomorrow, next week, next month ,next year,... we can make things work for you
Ok, Is This Offer For Me?
Yes, it’s for you if you are overwhelmed by the pressures of work or other things and really don’t have the time to put a beautiful speech together.
Yes you have to get on board; if you don’t know how to start or are not too sure if you can.
Yes, if you are not too eloquent or not too sure if you are on the right track.
Yes, if you feel writing and giving speeches is simply not your thing! You just hate it!
Yes, if you are still struggling to find the right words and ideas to say something memorable.
Yes, if you feel you might make some horrible mistakes!
Yes, if you are a good writer or speaker but you still want someone to look over or review what you’ve come up with!
Ok, I am Interested, What’s the Cost?
You don’t have to give any $ for now!
Why? Are you guys serious? Are you not kidding?
No, we are very serious about this since we want you to be happy with your speech first!
After we have delivered your speech, then you name a fair price for it! That’s all! So, you better not joke with this amazing offer! We are very serious about this!
Oh Ok, How Then Do I Get Started Since I Want To Get On Board Right Away?
After that, we will send you a very short and simple questionnaire to fill out!
Then, you have it sent back to us via email
If something is not too clear, we will ask you to clarify.
If not, we will send you a wonderful draft.
Then, you look it over and tell us if you are okay with it or you want to amend it till you are happy with it — although we always get it right even with the first draft.
If you are looking for tips and ideas to help you write a very inspiring lifetime award acceptance speech, then you are at the right place at the right time.
Just give me a few minutes of your time and I will share with you everything you should know about sharing your wisdom through your lifetime award achievement award speech.
Now, let’s start with this. Nothing compares to the pride and joy of working so hard for many years and being presented with a lifetime achievement award. A distinctive honor and privilege, right? Of course! But such an award doesn’t come on a silver platter.
Sidney never thought someday he too would honored by his country and even be presented with one. Life was quite hard for him and his family back in the 1940’s.
His parents moved to the USA before he was born in 1927. He was the youngest son of seven children. He was a premature baby and was not expected to survive but his parents nursed him to health.
When his parents arrived in Miami, they were farm hands and worked to sell tomatoes and other farm produce to wholesalers in Miami and beyond. Growing up, Sidney lived with his brother’s large family but found it impossible to adjust to the racism in the Jim Crow era.
When he was 16 years old, he moved to New York City where he held a string of jobs as a dishwasher even as he honed his acting skills on the side. His first attempt at acting failed due to his inability to fluently read his script.
After a series of failures and rejections, he retreated to perfect his acting talents further and ended up playing leading roles in a 1949 movie ‘’ Edge of The City’’ that the industry couldn’t ignore.
Sidney Poitier eventually won so many awards and recognitions (including a presidential medal of freedom given by President Obama) that in 1999, the Screen Actors Guild Awards honored him with a lifetime achievement award.
At that event, he delivered a very thoughtful and emotional lifetime achievement award acceptance speech I would like to share with you. I hope it inspires you to come up with your own script.
Here you go:
Lifetime Achievement Award Speech Example/Sample by Sidney Poitier
I came from a faraway place, across 73 years to stand here tonight. And here, at the outset, I wish to state clearly that mine was not a solo flight. I’ve had company all the way here, because the hands of many people go into the making of a life.
First among all my traveling companions across the years was a mother and a father who brought me as far as they could over the rockiest of roads – when they had to stop to take their rest - they sent me on with the hope that Guardian Angels along the way would keep an eye on me.
Though I never saw even one of them, I knew they were there doing exactly that. Because of countless numbers of them keeping an eye on me, I’ve grown to be an aged person in this business. Therefore, to accept this honor with the grace it deserves I must share it – first with those unknown forces who have been keeping an eye on me; and then with my Mom and Dad who believed in them and in me.
Needless to say that my heartfelt thanks and deepest appreciation also go to that small distinguished collection of filmmakers who were the engines behind the incredible journey of 51 years that I was privileged to make as a professional actor in American motion pictures. They were producers, directors, and writers who needed the world to be better than it was and had the courage to take a hand in shaping it.
Without them standing tall in difficult times, some of us might be in different places than we are, especially me. They were, unquestionably, traveling companions all; yet, each was on a journey of his own. I’m hopeful that history will never let it be forgotten that they passed this way.
Finally, to my fellow actors with whom I worked whose individual brilliance made me look good enough to be thought of for this most distinguished honor; a special thanks to each and every one of you.
Along the way I have accumulated no words of wisdom; and have, therefore, arrived with no message of importance. But I will leave you with a simple observation: The rewards were in the journey and there were many. Because of my traveling companions, the world is better than it was. And because of many of you, I am confident it will be better than it is. Thank you
I am sure you enjoyed reading that address and you are wondering how you can also write something like that, if not better. I am happy to share a few proven tips and ideas to help you write whatever lifetime achievement award acceptance speech you have in mind.
On the surface of things, writing such an example seems like a cinch. But putting that together involves more than the eyes can ever see. There are actually a few steps you have to follow if you want to come up with great and cool ideas to enhance your message.
If you have never delivered such a speech before, you might find yourself going through reams of information before you really find something that is not only acceptable but also worthy of your attention. You need not worry about spending so much time looking for the right ideas because videos can give you a fair idea of what to say and what not to say.
Hence, I always recommend that you first watch a couple of video clips. There are so many of such clips on youtube.com and other video sharing platforms.
But it’s always best to narrow down and pick the good ones that resonate strongly with you. For example, if you are nurse and are going to be honored with a lifetime award, then you obviously should type in something like: ‘’nursing lifetime achievement award acceptance speech’’ into the search bar and the best videos will pop up first.
If you are honored for your lifetime contribution in say business, then you should use these keywords: ‘’ business lifetime achievement award acceptance speech’’ I hope that gives you an idea of how to get the best videos you want.
By the way, I got these videos for you. You should have your notepad or journal by your side. Then, spend a few minutes watching them, and write down ideas that jump out at you. It’s that simple!
Here you go:
Lifetime achievement award acceptance speech example: video #1
Lifetime achievement award acceptance speech sample: video #2
Video examples are not the only helpful resources you can use. Well-written speech examples can also help you to easily and quickly write a stellar lifetime achievement award acceptance speech because they contain several ideas and tips you can adapt for your own presentation.
Now, I am going to share with two (2) expertly crafted examples. Afterward, I will break one of them into bits and pieces so you can figure out how to start and end an inspiring lifetime achievement award speech like a pro even if you are not great with words.
Here is the first written sample:Lifetime Achievement Award Achievement Speech….Example #1
John Doerr NVCA lifetime achievement award acceptance speech
Monday, March 11th 2019
On February 27, 2019, John Doerr was honored by the NVCA with its Lifetime Achievement Award in venture capital. The Award honors those who have made significant contributions to foster innovation, advance technology and drive new company formation.
Thank you Mary. And thanks to all of my partners, to the founders we serve, to all the friends here tonight, and to Bobby and the NVCA team. Also, I want to thank all the members of the Academy, my mother, and of course all of tonight's award winners.
I'm going to tell you the story of two mentors (and one very fortunate mentee — that's me, the luckiest engineer from St. Louis, Missouri). I came to Silicon Valley in 1974 with $50, no job, and no place to live. I interviewed with all the venture capitalists for a summer internship, hoping to learn about starting companies. And just what do you think happened? You guessed it: They all turned me down — wisely.
But Brook Byers agreed to meet while running around Stanford's track. He told me, "John, forget VC, and get a real job at a tech company, like Intel." We stayed in touch. Five years later, I left Intel to work for Frank Caufield and Brook Byers, reviewing business plans and, with their support, writing my own business plan.
Frank and Brook took a big chance, and they promised to back my dream to start a venture. Together we started Silicon Compilers, and @Home. But those are stories for another night. Since 1980, we've also started 29 Kleiner funds, with three generations of leaders raising over $11 billion.
I'm incredibly proud of the latest, Kleiner Perkins 18, which is led by Ted, Mamoon, Wen, Ilya, Bucky, and joined by Annie, Monica, and Josh. I'm also very proud of the Kleiner alumni who in aggregate have raised nearly $2 billion in 10 new funds. I'll shout out those with us tonight: Kevin & Doug at Radar; Aileen with Cowboy; Beth with West Lake; Lynne with Define; Mary, Noah, Mood and Juliet with Bond; and Joe Lacob's Warriors Innovation fund! What an amazing alumni network.
Years ago, Andy Grove at Intel gave me a great gift which I offer to you tonight. It's a handbook, a dozen stories about goal setting called "Measure What Matters" — what matters for your firm, your ventures, or even your family. Do grab a copy on your way out this evening.
It is dedicated to two mentors who left us too soon, opening with Andy Grove, and closing with Coach Bill Campbell. You know, we are discouraged from bringing love into a business setting — but that was Bill's most distinguishing trait. Somehow the Coach was always your best friend.
His tough love inspired everyone from Steve Jobs to the third graders at Sacred Heart. And me. Bill Campbell was the ultimate player-coach. The servant leader. And a great model for us who want to be "servant VCs". We have an awesome opportunity to serve entrepreneurs, our country, and the fragile, threatened planet we call home.
To those of you early in your VC career, choose and focus on a field where you can differentiate and serve with distinction. Network like crazy. Incubate a venture with co-founders — as Swanson did with Genentech, or Byers with Hybritech. Take a sabbatical, gain startup experience ...and respect for it.
Assist entrepreneurs as a business builder, not a buyer and/or seller.
And don't lose your soul in the chase for "deals" — indeed, don't talk or even think that way. Because as we all know, those "deals" are in fact the hopes and dreams of the founders who will change the world.
I'm an optimist. I believe there are very few problems that can't be solved by leaders and teams who share the right goals for the right reasons.
Friends, even as we worship together at the altar of innovation, let's never forget: ideas are easy, execution is everything. And it takes a team to win.
Thank you
Now, let’s move on to the second example:Lifetime Achievement Award Achievement Speech…Example #2
Delivered by Roberto Ricossa while receiving the Award at the Frost & Sullivan Gala in 2015.
Roberto Ricossa - Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient 2015
Good evening, boa noite, muy buenas noches a todos
It is a great pleasure and an honor for me to be with all of you tonight, on this very special occasion.
I want to start by thanking Dave and the entire staff at Frost & Sullivan for this humbling recognition, as well as all of my colleagues, friends and of course my family: my beautiful twin girls Monica and Pia, and especially my wife Monica, for always being there for me, and most importantly for being here tonight celebrating with me.
Without all of you, nothing is possible, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you (Monica) and thank you all.
When I first got the call that I was being nominated for a Lifetime achievement award, I thought.. What? A Lifetime Achievement award? That is typically for old people.. People who's careers are at the tail end... Why me? And then I got interviewed a couple of times by Melody, an analyst from Frost, whom with for some reason we started talking about age...so, suddenly she told me she was around 24 years old.
And then when she asked me how old I was, I said .. I'm 46. Which she replied.. "Oh! That's so funny, My Dadis 46 as well!" And at THAT time I understood everything about the lifetime achievement award and why I was receiving it!
So anyhow, when I reflect back into the various roles and situations I've been through and the people I've had the pleasure to work with I thought: what is the common thread in all? And so I came up with my very own formula for success and these has 4 basic learnings or recommendations:
First and foremost, be passionate. You cannot be successful in anything unless you are passionate about something. And by passionate I mean consistently passionate, not only on the good times, but most importantly on the not so good times when passionate leadership is needed the most.
I went through good and bad times, company mergers, acquisitions and even bankruptcies. And in all, there is always something to learn and experience as long as you have the passion to want to keep on going forward and inspire others. Inspire others not only to follow you, but inspire them to follow their own dreams.
Second, care for others. You can never be successful by yourself. A true leader is not only one that is always open and frank with others and gets the best by developing other leaders, but most importantly, one that genuinely cares for others.
And here, I want to thank the many folks I've worked with throughout time and that have always pushed me to be better, every time. Because of that, you not only helped me be a better leader, but most importantly to be a better person.
Third, attitude. Be positive, don't look at the “why not” or the “I can't”... But always look into HOW can I make it happen and find a way to do it.
That's exactly why I start my mornings with a "good morning in the morning"... because I want to make every morning a good morning and then turn it into a wonderful day, and son on!
And last but not least, stay true to the real objective of why WE ALL work so hard. The true Ultimate Goal: Your Family
You can change jobs, roles, and trust me, everything will keep on changing around you, but at the end of your day, your family is what stays with you forever. Don't let a single day go by without you being WITH THEM AND FOR THEM... THAT is what matters the most.
So, bottom line...if you have the passion, if you engage and care for others with the right attitude and always keep your ultimate objective in mind, you and your family will be happy.
And that, when you boil it down to the essence, is the ultimate lifetime achievement GOAL we should all aspire to reach...
So Be happy, life is good!
Thank You very much!
I am sure you will agree with me when I say that both are great examples of what lifetime achievement award acceptance speeches should be like.
Ok, let’s start by analyzing the second example. I don’t know about you. But I remember back in High School, my English tutor used to say that there are three main sections of an essay or speech…Do you have any idea what they are?
Ok, every write-up has an introduction, body, and conclusion. If you go back and read both examples, you will realize that all the three elements are inherently present in all the examples on this page.
Ok…let’s start by looking at the introduction. Let’s recap parts of it so you can understand better how to write a great opener.
'' Good evening, boa noite, muy buenas noches a todos
It is a great pleasure and an honor for me to be with all of you tonight, on this very special occasion.
I want to start by thanking Dave and the entire staff at Frost & Sullivan for this humbling recognition, as well as all of my colleagues, friends and of course my family: my beautiful twin girls Monica and Pia, and especially my wife Monica, for always being there for me, and most importantly for being here tonight celebrating with me. Without all of you, nothing is possible, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you (Monica) and thank you all...''
Now, let me ask you this question. Was there anything you noticed about that extract? Most speeches begin with a note of appreciation. However, there are several other unique and appealing ways of starting your introduction as it's primary purpose is to hook the audience into your presentation.
Let’s look at some tried and tested ways of starting your speech with a bang.
First, you can talk about how you felt when you were called up for the award or even when you received a note that you would be honored for your specialty. It's depicted in this example.
I stand here amazed at the sea of faces I see here tonight. I know it is your expression of love and kind regard towards me.
Thank you very much for being here when you had the choice to stay back home due to the rains pouring down outside.
I would like to thank the Management Association for selecting me for the Best Entrepreneur Award.
Second, you can start off with a question someone asked about what you do. And you can see that amplified in the next example by Lois Lowry.
“How do you know where to start?” a child asked me once, in a schoolroom, where I’d been speaking to her class about the writing of books.
I shrugged and smiled and told her that I just start wherever it feels right. This evening it feels right to start by quoting a passage from The Giver, a scene set during the days in which the boy, J onas, is beginning to look more deeply into the life that has been very superficial, beginning to see that his own past goes back farther than he had ever known and has greater implications than he had ever suspected…..
''Thank you so much for this honor. I am truly humbled to be in the company of people who have inspired me, who have helped shape my thinking,who have helped me realize the potential of our profession to truly make a difference.
Thanks to the Arthur W. Page Society, I am fortunate to consider so many members friends. In particular, I would like to acknowledge the chairmen -- Roger Bolton, Maril McDonald, Jon Iwata, Bill Margaritas, Gary Sheffer and now Dave Samson -- with whom I have had the honor of serving as a member of the Trustee committee.''
''I want to start by thanking Dave and the entire staff at Frost & Sullivan for this humbling recognition, as well as all of my colleagues, friends and of course my family: my beautiful twin girls Monica and Pia, and especially my wife Monica, for always being there for me, and most importantly for being here tonight celebrating with me,.
Without all of you, nothing is possible, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you (Monica) and thank you all.
When I first got the call that I was being nominated for a Lifetime achievement award, I thought.. What? A Lifetime Achievement award? That is typically for old people.. People who's careers are at the tail end... Why me? And then I got interviewed a couple of times by Melody, an analyst from Frost, whom with for some reason we started talking about age...so, suddenly she told me she was around 24 years old... And then when she asked me how old I was, I said .. I'm 46. Which she replied.. "Oh! That's so funny, My Dadis 46 as well!"
Now, let’s see…
How You Can Write the Body of Your Speech
The body is undoubtedly the easiest part you can write. But with so many years of memories distilled into a very short presentation, it can get really hard if not overwhelming to know which anecdotes you can draw from.
The trick here is to first create an outline for your lifetime achievement award speech before fill the gaps in. How do you do that? Here are some simple you can simply follow to bring your ideas on board even if you are not a great writer.
First, focus on the kind of message you wish to deliver? Here are pointers to help you chose which type you really want to go with?
Do wish to use the storytelling approach? If you want it to sound funny, you can include one or two hilarious moments.
Do you want to share with the audience what the journey has been like? Can you share the high and low moments of your personal or professional life?
Since you’ve been in the game for long, you can probably do a little introspection and share the lessons learned. What do you think though?
Here’s how Roberto Ricossa captured it in the above example.
‘’ So anyhow, when I reflect back into the various roles and situations I've been through and the people I've had the pleasure to work with I thought: what is the common thread in all? And so I came up with my very own formula for success and these has 4 basic learnings or recommendations’’
Well, if you can expertly combine a. b. c ideas to write something epic, then your speech will be a massive hit.
And with that, let’s look at...
How to Write the Ending Of Your Lifetime Achievement Award Acceptance Speech
I cringe when most speakers end their speeches with such clichés as: ‘’Thank you’’, ‘’Thank you for listening’’ ‘’Thanks for your time’’ There is nothing wrong with that. But you can always go further to make your closing remarks stand out by delivering something that’s out of the ordinary.
There are actually a few tips to help you wrap up on a very memorable note and I am happy to share just a few with you.
Paul Polman's four CRITICAL messages for all businesses:
Polman ended his acceptance speech with four “critical points” that he believes all business should champion now and in the future:
1) Do things differently - “We need to redefine what critical boundaries look like and work in a much higher degree of partnership to reach these tipping points. It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.”
2) Turn the volume up – Polman called on business to get vocal in demanding new policies are introduced that enable an accelerated transition to a green economy.
3) Put people first – Polman said that behind every stat was an individual and that people were suffering because of a collective “ineptitude to take action”. He called on attendees to be courageous when putting people at the heart to everything a business does.
4) Take individual responsibilities – Alluding to the old proverb No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible, Polman said that individual actions can change the world and kickstart new agendas. It is the role of the sustainability professional to step up, he said.
... And, for any sustainability professional that feels the task at hand is too daunting, Polman did have one final message: "If any of us think that they are too small to make a difference, I encourage you to go to bed with a mosquito in the room and you’ll see the difference! I can only ask you to ramp up your ambitions, set your goals high and hopefully we can create a world one day where we leave no one behind.”
Second, this is not actually done. But you can take questions from the floor. Your audience can tap into your rich experience and learn from you.
Third, anything that comes to your mind? You just have to do a little brainstorming and you will get them.
Dear Award Winner,
Let’s face it. One of the most prized possessions you will ever get in life is to be rewarded for a job well done.
It gets even sweeter when you have worked hard so hard your whole life and have been recognized for making a positive contribution to humanity.
Nonetheless, it’s not an easy thing when you are asked to deliver a few remarks after receiving your award. Your audience love, admire and respect you and are expecting you to tell them how you made it.
With all eyes on you and everyone applauding you for your excellent work, you might be a blubbering idiot if you don’t prepare very well ahead of time or even decide to wing it. No matter what you feel about speaking in public, you can make a difference if we work together with you.
If you have never made one before, then we are giving you a chance to come up with something inspiring and memorable without pulling your hair out!
Award ceremony around the corner? Or happening in less than 24 hours? Trust me, we can deliver! it doesn’t matter if your speech is today, tomorrow, next week, next month ,next year,... we can make things work for you
Ok, Is This Offer For Me?
Yes, it’s for you if you are overwhelmed by the pressures of work or other things and really don’t have the time to put a beautiful speech together.
Yes you have to get on board; if you don’t know how to start or are not too sure if you can.
Yes, if you are not too eloquent or not too sure if you are on the right track.
Yes, if you feel writing and giving speeches is simply not your thing! You just hate it!
Yes, if you are still struggling to find the right words and ideas to say something memorable.
Yes, if you feel you might make some horrible mistakes!
Yes, if you are a good writer or speaker but you still want someone to look over or review what you’ve come up with!
Ok, I am Interested, What’s the Cost?
You don’t have to give any $ for now!
Why? Are you guys serious? Are you not kidding?
No, we are very serious about this since we want you to be happy with your speech first!
After we have delivered your speech, then you name a fair price for it! That’s all! So, you better not joke with this amazing offer! We are very serious about this!
Oh Ok, How Then Do I Get Started Since I Want To Get On Board Right Away?
After that, we will send you a very short and simple questionnaire to fill out!
Then, you have it sent back to us via email
If something is not too clear, we will ask you to clarify.
If not, we will send you a wonderful draft.
Then, you look it over and tell us if you are okay with it or you want to amend it till you are happy with it — although we always get it right even with the first draft.
Have you been nominated to receive a business award? And are you looking for ideas and tips to help you deliver the best business award acceptance remarks ever?
If you answered yes to that, please stay tuned because I am going to share with you with tips and ideas about:
How to write a business award speech
How to write a business award thank you speech
How to use company award speech examples to write your own message
I have always had this thought that no one ventures into business just to win awards. Passion, purpose and hardwork drives business sucess and after you’ve worked at it for a while, you might be nominated for an award.
Is This An Example Of A Success Story?
Danik’s parents were economic migrants from Ukraine and when they arrived in the USA, the great depression had ravaged the economy. He got his first job working in a factory that provided his family’s daily bread but was forced out of it when the shop suddenly closed down.
But Danik didn’t give up hopes entirely. When the economy got back on his feet, started selling vegetables from door to door and eventually set up a local store that grew into fifteen(15) stores when the economy had picked up steam.
In recognition of his hardwork and drive, he got awarded for being the most celebrated business person and had no to give a few remarks which he had no clue about.
Luckily, with the help of his wordsmith friend, he ended up writing one of the best ever business award acceptance remarks.
At the end of his presentation, the audience gave him a standing ovation. The audience didn’t expect him so speak so beautifully because he was a stammerer. The unique insights about his personal struggles and life inspired so many people that several people went on to start their own businesses.
You see, writing a business award acceptance speech is not as difficult as most people imagined it to be. But let’s face it. How many business executives have the gift of gab? A handful I guess!
Whether you are blessed with the gift of words or hate speaking in public entirely is not something you should be worried about because in the next few lines I am going to share with you proven tips, ideas and guidelines you can use to prepare your own script.
There is this wise quote by the great motivational speaker Zig Ziglar that says ‘’ unless you have definite, precise, clearly set goals, you are not going to realize the maximum potential that lies within you.”
Guess what? Many business executives struggle to write an inspiring company or business award acceptance speech because they clearly have no definite plan about what to say and what not to say. To make the whole process much easier, you need to have a plan and stick to it.
It begins by first watching a few video clips about company or business award speeches are made so you can figure out how such presentations are delivered. However, you should be looking for videos that are specific to your needs.
For example, if you are accepting a business award on behalf on someone, then you should be looking for videos about that topic on Youtube.com or somewhere else similar to that.
Well, I got these videos for you. Please press the play button, watch, and learn from them before you continue reading the rest of the script.
Business award acceptance speech: Video example#1
Company award acceptance speech: Video example#2
Did you enjoy both videos? That’s not all. After you’ve seen a couple of videos, you can then go on to the writing process. To do that, you should first decide what kind of business award speech you are going to deliver. So, please ponder over these questions.
Have you been chosen as the employee of the month or year? Then, you should consider delivering an employee recognition or appreciation award acceptance speech.
Are you accepting an award on behalf of someone? Then you should consider looking for ideas about award acceptance on behalf of a company or co-worker.
Are you being honored for your work in the community? Then, you should look for ideas about community service award or recognition acceptance speech.
Have you worked so hard at your company for many years? Then, you probably consider looking for great ideas about how to write a long service award acceptance speech.
Action Tip: Let me ask you this: Which of the above are you going to go with? Please decide. After you have chosen your own style, you can then go on to study well-written business award acceptance or recognition examples because they contain so many ideas you can borrow and adapt to write your own remarks.
So, for now, I am going to share with you some business award speech examples or templates. You can go through them and decide an example that best resonates with you. Afterward, I will break one of them down bit by bit so you can use my ideas to write an inspiring business or award acceptance speech.
Here you go:
Example # 1: Company Award Acceptance Speech
Michele Buck
President & CEO
On September 26, our CEO, Michele Buck accepted the Committee for Economic Development's Corporate Citizenship Award. What follows is an abridged version of her acceptance speech.
It is an honor for me to accept the prestigious Corporate Citizenship Award on behalf of The Hershey Company and the approximately 16,000 Hershey team members who make our company the remarkable and special company that it is.
I want to thank my Hershey colleagues for being here with me tonight. You exemplify what is at the heart of our company. A passion and the fight to win in the marketplace. And a compassion and a purpose-driven mindset that brings goodness into everything we do. This award is truly a testament to your leadership.
I also want to acknowledge my family, who makes all of this possible. It is my role as mother to three amazing children that enhances my ability to lead a company with thoughtfulness, ingenuity, and compassion. Thank you for your support, for keeping me grounded, and your unending enthusiasm for the goodness we create together.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME
Since taking the reins at Hershey 18 months ago, I have met and talked with our employees at all levels and across every function. During one of these listening sessions at our Hazleton, PA manufacturing facility, I met two women that work on our Kit Kat line, Michele and Kathy. They asked if I would sign their bump caps as they told me what an inspiration it was to have a woman as the company’s CEO.
As a small-town girl from Carlisle, PA, I am humbled and incredibly proud that as Hershey’s first female CEO, women across the company can “see themselves” in their CEO while they do the front-line work of making the products that our consumers love. That representation is powerful. It speaks to why diversity and inclusion is so important to us.
We’ve ingrained a focus on diversity and inclusion into every aspect of our organization. We are proud to have women leading in critical roles across the business – CEO, CFO, Chief Growth Officer, Commercial Integration, our Kit Kat business, our Walmart customer lead and head of U.S. Supply Chain, to name just a few.
Diversity and inclusion are strategic advantages that are integral to who we are as a company and I am excited about our leadership in this space.
A FIERCE COMPETITOR WITH GREAT COMPASSION
Many of you may not know this, but Hershey has always been about more than just chocolate. One of the first things our founder, Milton Hershey and his wife Catherine, did after starting the company was to establish Milton Hershey School, a cost-free school for disadvantaged children.
So, you see, social responsibility has always been woven into the fabric of our company’s DNA. We know that if we are successful, it directly supports the school and our ability to make an impact to important societal issues. That is an incredible motivator for us to aim higher and work harder.
WHERE HERSHEY COMES FROM
From the beginning, Milton Hershey intended to use profits from his business to enrich communities and make a difference. That commitment has been unwavering for nearly 125 years.
He started by making chocolate, a luxury in 1894, accessible to everyone at an affordable price. He built a town with homes for employees and opened Hershey Park, so his employees could have a balanced life that included both work and play.
He was ahead of his time, working to safeguard the environment by developing a cogeneration factory that minimized its environmental footprint. He knew that creating a community that was healthy and thriving would support the business for years to come.
And his greatest gift, Milton Hershey School.
This spirit – the pride that goes into our brand portfolio but also how we share goodness – shapes nearly every decision we make from product innovation to our supply chain. The more successful we are at innovating for our consumers, the greater impact we can make in our communities.
WHERE HERSHEY IS GOING
As we near our 125th anniversary, we are proud of the business we have built and are excited about where we are headed. Our vision is to be an Innovative Snacking Powerhouse and we have a portfolio of brands that consumers love – Hershey’s, Reese’s, Kisses, Ice Breakers, Twizzlers as well broader snacking brands – Skinny Pop, Paqui and Oatmega.
That vision is coupled with our Shared Goodness Promise – a focus to work on some of society’s most pressing challenges that we are capable of help solving. Our Shared Goodness Promise is anchored to our business, our planet, our community, and our future – and it is activated by our remarkable people.
One example our Shared Goodness Promise is our recently launched cocoa sustainability strategy, Cocoa for Good. Earlier this year, we pledged to invest half a billion dollars by 2030 to help create a thriving ecosystem that meets the needs of farmers, their local communities, and the environment.
In cocoa-growing communities in Ghana, Hershey provides 50,000 school children with ViVi every day, a groundnut-based snack, nourishing them with the fuel they need to make the most of their education. That’s more than 10 million snacks a year.
We’ve joined with other cocoa manufacturers and suppliers to support the Cocoa & Forest Initiative, a commitment to end deforestation in cocoa and invest in agroforestry and forest rehabilitation.
Supporting farming family livelihoods is critical to the future of cocoa and we’re providing training on good agricultural practices, so farmers can improve their land and cocoa trees, as well as providing support for women’s income generating activities, which both increase the family income, and give women a stronger voice in their communities.
But our most important work is to do good for the future, for our children. That connection to children is rooted in our relationship with Milton Hershey School. Our employees teach classes on science, technology, and business, and we connect directly with the children socially by creating relationships with group homes, allowing employees to get to know a small group of students and spending time together outside of school and work.
We also are excited about the work we are doing more broadly across the U.S. as we launch The Heartwarming Project. You may have seen our new Hershey’s campaign showcasing its power to create connections and melt the distance between us. In honor of our founder’s greatest heartwarming act – helping kids succeed through the Milton Hershey School – our company recently launched the Heartwarming Project to help kids, parents, and teachers build more meaningful connections and create a more inclusive and empathetic community. We are partnering with leading organizations, like the Boys and Girls Club and We.Org, to provide programs and grants to create a future where social and emotional connections are central in our everyday world. It’s an ambitious goal, but so was inventing a low-cost chocolate bar 125 years ago.
IN CLOSING
I would be remiss if I didn’t share a little bit about the remarkable people who make all this good work possible. Milton Hershey didn’t start a school by himself – it was a passion shared with his wife, Catherine, that made its creation possible. Likewise, Hershey employees across the business are constantly innovating about the future of snacking and sustainability and their impact on the world.
It’s their creativity, passion and energy that makes what I do possible. It’s this energy that gives me the resounding confidence that Hershey’s best days are ahead of us.
Again, I want to thank the Committee for Economic Development for recognizing The Hershey Company in such a meaningful way. It is truly a privilege and an honor to serve as a torchbearer for one of America’s most trusted companies. I am humbled and grateful for the honor.
Example #2: Best Employee Award Recognition Speech
Thanks, Leslie.
I really am both humbled and honored to receive this award, particularly because of the company that I'm keeping here. The other recipients, I certainly feel, are more deserving than myself.
I'm accepting this award on behalf of myself and particularly on behalf of my colleagues in the Sunday Independent who have encouraged me and supported me in my investigative work whilst I've been working in the paper.
It is very unusual to hear that an Irish reporter has been shot or intimidated. Unfortunately, because of the ever-rising crime problems in Ireland, a number of reporters -- not just myself -- have been subjected to death threats and to intimidation on a daily basis. So, for my colleagues in other newspapers and in the broadcast media, I'm grateful that the CPJ [Committee to Protect Journalists] have decided to honor an Irish and European journalist.
Unfortunately, in -- in Ireland, journalists there also have to face the -- the threat of possible imprisonment. And I welcome this opportunity to highlight the appalling case of a colleague of mine who works in the Irish Independent. And she, too, is facing, like Fred M'membe, here -- she's facing a possible jail sentence.
And the reason that she's facing possible imprisonment is because she published a document which was widely circulated in the -- within the police force in Ireland about the suspects of the bank robbery which I reported the day before my -- which I reported on the day before my shooting.
Now, Liz Allen is -- is my colleague who's facing a possible jail sentence. She's -- it's alleged -- [breached the] The Official Secrets Act. We have to face, you know, we write under ridiculous restrictive laws in Ireland. It's a wonderful country, great place to visit, but unfortunately for journalists the most difficult thing that we have to work within are our restrictive libel laws.
It's difficult for our publishers because they're the people who have to pay the lawyers the massive amounts of money on a daily basis in courts.
These are the issues that I feel that I have to highlight here. It's not the fact that journalists may be shot. But it is the "legitimate" restrictions that we work within. And I thank you, I thank the Committee for The Protection of Journalists for giving me the opportunity to highlight this.
I really am humbled and honored to accept this award. In doing so, I want to thank two people who have encouraged me, despite an incredibly difficult last twelve months. And they are my husband, Graham, and my son, Cathal. Because I can assure you that if they hadn't supported me, I wouldn't be doing it.
Thank you very much.
Example #3: Acceptance Speech On Behalf of someone else or company
by Matt Burghdorf
Thank you very much.
I am very proud and pleased to accept this award on behalf of California State Parks and my colleagues. We have indeed been able to implement innovative and secure wireless solutions through the state park system.
These low cost, last mile connections have brought the benefits of our enterprise network to hundreds of parks employees in remote locations throughout the state. Also, a wireless solution has been a lifesaver in many of our very large park units where copper or fiber optic connections within the park would have been prohibitively expensive to complete.
The task of bringing connectivity to our employees included a number of unique challenges. Spanning the huge expanses, isolation, and heat of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park; networking one hundred and fifty year old buildings at Marshall Gold and Columbia State Historic Parks while protecting the structures’ historic integrity; transporting data across Millerton Lake in the Sierras and across San Francisco Bay to Angel Island; dodging dirt bikes at Prairie City Off Highway Vehicle Park and dodging amorous elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Reserve; all of these while working within the parameters of the state park budget are but a few of the tests we have confronted.
It really is very satisfying to work in these beautiful places at the same time by helping the State Parks accomplish its mission. Again, on behalf of our team, thank you very much for this award!
Example #4: Community Service Award Acceptance Speech
JILLIAN SPINDLE
Thank you — this award means so much to me, and I’m so grateful to have spent the past decade at MEDA.
When I started MEDA ten years ago, I couldn’t have imagined that our organization would be where we are today — growing our asset building programs, launching the Mission Promise Neighborhood, becoming a housing developer, a CDFI lender, our policy and advocacy work and now sharing our successful models with other communities.
Looking around the room, I remember the many conversations that became shared visions that are now realities. It took the hearts, minds and persistence of so many of you here tonight to make it all happen.
I want to thank my MEDA colleagues: Your brilliance, leadership and dedication to this work inspire me every single day.
And thank you, Luis. I’m grateful for your mentorship and your friendship. You are one of the most visionary and courageous leaders I know.
So I’d like to share this “Community Impact Award” with all of you: clients, community members, nonprofit partners, government officials, funders, MEDA staff and Board, and my friends here tonight who have supported me and MEDA along the way. We have definitely shown that together we can make anything happen.
All great examples, right? I hope you learned a thing or two from all those templates. Well, I promised to help you write the best ever business acceptance speech using one of the above examples.
So, I am going to use example #.....to do just that. Please watch me carefully as I break it down bit by bit so you can understand it better.
As you are pretty much aware, speeches like the ones above have three main components. Do you know what they are? Ok…They include an introduction, body or outline, and conclusion.
Here's an excerpt from example#1 to get us thinking about our next step.
''On September 26, our CEO, Michele Buck accepted the Committee for Economic Development's Corporate Citizenship Award. What follows is an abridged version of her acceptance speech.
It is an honor for me to accept the prestigious Corporate Citizenship Award on behalf of The Hershey Company and the approximately 16,000 Hershey team members who make our company the remarkable and special company that it is...''
Here’s what your introduction should do. It should capture the attention of the audience right from the get go and also set the tone for the rest of your presentation.
Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of business award acceptance speech have very boring opening remarks with one or more of these or even a combination of them:
'' Thank you for coming''
'' It's an honor to accept this award''
'' I couldn't make it without you''
While there’s nothing wrong with that, I think we can go a step further by introducing unique ways of starting your speech with a bang. I am happy to share a few proven ways of engaging your audience from the onset.
Here you go:
First, you can mention how you felt when you heard you have been nominated for an award. Below is an example of how to work that into your own speech.
Acceptance Speech: Best Entrepreneur Award Winner Speaks from the Heart
I stand here amazed at the sea of faces I see here tonight. I know it is your expression of love and kind regard towards me.
Thank you very much for being here when you had the choice to stay back home due to the rains pouring down outside.
I would like to thank the Management Association for selecting me for the Best Entrepreneur Award….
Second, you can add a touch of intrigue and suspense by starting with a question someone asked about what you do. Please see an example below
''Newbery Acceptance Speech Lois Lowry June, 1994 “How do you know where to start?” a child asked me once, in a schoolroom, where I’d been speaking to her class about the writing of books. I shrugged and smiled and told her that I just start wherever it feels right.
This evening it feels right to start by quoting a passage from The Giver, a scene set during the days in which the boy, J onas, is beginning to look more deeply into the life that has been very superficial, beginning to see that his own past goes back farther than he had ever known and has greater implications than he had ever suspected…''
Third, you can express your appreciation to the award organizers and say how honored you are to receive the business award. The snippet below is culled from this example.
''Thank you so much for this honor. I am truly humbled to be in the company of people who have inspired me,who have helped shape my thinking,who have helped me realize the potential of our profession to truly make a difference.
Thanks to the Arthur W. Page Society, I am fortunate to consider so many members friends. In particular, I would like to acknowledge the chairmen -- Roger Bolton, Maril McDonald, Jon Iwata, Bill Margaritas, Gary Sheffer and now Dave Samson -- with whom I have had the honor of serving as a member of the Trustee committee...''
Fourth, you can start on a funny. The audience couldn’t help it when Will Ferrell came to accept his award and this was his introductory remarks.
Oh, boy, okay. Um, wow, thank you, thank you, so much for that warm ovation. As I stare at this magnificent bust of Mark Twain, I’m reminded of how humbled I am to receive such an honor and how I vow to take very special care of it. I will never let it out of my sight.
I will find a place of honor in my house for this magnificent bust. If my children try to touch it or even look at it, I will beat them. It means that much to me. In fact, I told my wife that maybe I should buy it its own seat for the plane right home, and no, no I’m not done, I’m not done, I’m not, I’m not, no. No, I just started the speech, why would you think I’m done?
I want to sincerely thank the Kennedy Center for this prize and this – and the fine folks at PBS for airing this special. I am the 14th recipient of the Mark Twain prize. And you’re probably asking yourself, why did it take so long? Well, for 13 consecutive years, I have been begged by the Kennedy Center to accept this award and for 13 consecutive years, I have emphatically said, no. For years, I had many questions about this Mark Twain, the first being, who is he? It’s been donned on me that, since I was a small boy I have thoroughly enjoyed his delicious fried chicken.
Then my wife informed me that I was thinking of Colonel Sanders not Mark Twain. It turns out that he is considered America’s finest author and humorist, but that his real name is not Mark Twain, it was Jerry Goldman. Before that, it was Judy Blume, and before that of course, we all know the name, Samuel Langhorne Chimmins.
Despite my failings to grasp the importance of Mark Twain and what exactly he did, I decided to accept this award because of the prize money, $1 billion dollars, paid out over the next 10,000 years. To say that I’m thrilled to be here is a complete understatement, and to make this evening even more thrilling, I have just been informed that, I’m only the 11th Caucasian to receive this prestigious award...''
Now, let’s look at how to put together the body or outline of your business award or company award speech. Let's look the body of the speech under review to guide our steps.
'' Since taking the reins at Hershey 18 months ago, I have met and talked with our employees at all levels and across every function. During one of these listening sessions at our Hazleton, PA manufacturing facility, I met two women that work on our Kit Kat line, Michele and Kathy. They asked if I would sign their bump caps as they told me what an inspiration it was to have a woman as the company’s CEO.
As a small-town girl from Carlisle, PA, I am humbled and incredibly proud that as Hershey’s first female CEO, women across the company can “see themselves” in their CEO while ''
To formulate the ideas for the content of your speech, you have to first decide on the kind of speech you wish to deliver.
For example, if you are going to make an employee recognition speech, then your outline would be different from what you will say if you are going to make a company award speech.
In the next few lines, I am going to share with you helpful tips and pointers you can use to create the outline or body no matter the kind of business award speech you want to make.
I will take it one step time at a time.
HERE ARE IDEAS FOR THE BODY OF EMPLOYEE RECOGINTION SPEECH
How long have you been working at the company?
Do you remember your first day at work?
What are some useful lessons you’ve learned on the job?
Who’s inspired you the most and what do you want to tell those personalities?
What does the award mean to you?
What do you wish to tell your bosses and co-workers?
HERE ARE IDEAS FOR THE BODY OF RECEIVING A SPEECH ON BEHALF OF A COLLEAGUE
On whose behalf are you receiving this award?
Why is the award recipient not around in person to receive it?
Did the receiver share any story about the award? Probably a story you the award recipient of both of you?
What does the award mean to him or her?
HERE ARE IDEAS FOR THE BODY OF YOUR COMPANY AWARD SPEECH BY PRESIDENT OR CEO OR MANAGER
Why did you get into business?
What drives you in your line of work?
What are some memorable stories you wish to share?
Any setbacks you wish to share and lessons learned?
What does the award mean to you?
What do you want to tell the award organizers, board of directors and staff?
What does the future hold for your company and the industry?
HERE ARE IDEAS FOR THE BODY OF YOUR LONG SERVICE AWARD SPEECH
What does that award mean to you?
What does it mean remind you of?
Can you share a very memorable account of the time you spent working in your career or field of endeavor?
Who’s inspired you most and what were the lessons you learned from that person?
Any word of advice for the audience?
What do you wish to say to the event organizers?
HERE ARE IDEAS FOR THE BODY OF YOUR COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD SPEECH
What does that award mean to you?
What does it mean remind you of?
What keeps you up at night?
Can you share a very memorable account of the time you spent working in your career or field of endeavor?
Who’s inspired you most and what were the lessons you learned from that person?
Any word of advice for the audience?
What do you wish to say to the event organizers?
Writing assignment: Now, this is what I want you to do right now. Go back and reflect on the questions above and write down the kind of speech you are going to make. Then, provide answers to the questions beside them.
Using your answers , write a rough draft of your presentation and keep fine-tuning it until you are very happy with the end result.
Now, let us how you can end your speech on a memorable note. Aside from ending with such clichés as ''thank you'' and ''thank you for listening '', you can spice your concluding remarks with one or two of the following ideas to make yours a little different.
First, you can end by thanking a few individuals who have helped you in your professional journey.
Here’s how the speech we are looking at ended his.
‘’I would be remiss if I didn’t share a little bit about the remarkable people who make all this good work possible. Milton Hershey didn’t start a school by himself – it was a passion shared with his wife, Catherine, that made its creation possible. Likewise, Hershey employees across the business are constantly innovating about the future of snacking and sustainability and their impact on the world…’’
Second, you may end with a touching poem about your storyline. Do you have one in mind?
Dear Award Winner,
Let’s face it. One of the most prized possessions you will ever get in life is to be rewarded for a job well done.
It gets even sweeter when you have worked hard so hard your whole life and have been recognized for making a positive contribution to humanity.
Nonetheless, it’s not an easy thing when you are asked to deliver a few remarks after receiving your award. Your audience love, admire and respect you and are expecting you to tell them how you made it.
With all eyes on you and everyone applauding you for your excellent work, you might be a blubbering idiot if you don’t prepare very well ahead of time or even decide to wing it. No matter what you feel about speaking in public, you can make a difference if we work together with you.
If you have never made one before, then we are giving you a chance to come up with something inspiring and memorable without pulling your hair out!
Award ceremony around the corner? Or happening in less than 24 hours?Trust me, we can deliver!it doesn’t matter if your speech is today, tomorrow, next week, next month ,next year,... we can make things work for you
Ok, Is This Offer For Me?
Yes, it’s for you if you are overwhelmed by the pressures of work or other things and really don’t have the time to put a beautiful speech together.
Yes you have to get on board; if you don’t know how to start or are not too sure if you can.
Yes, if you are not too eloquent or not too sure if you are on the right track.
Yes, if you feel writing and giving speeches is simply not your thing! You just hate it!
Yes, if you are still struggling to find the right words and ideas to say something memorable.
Yes, if you feel you might make some horrible mistakes!
Yes, if you are a good writer or speaker but you still want someone to look over or review what you’ve come up with!
Ok, I am Interested, What’s the Cost?
You don’t have to give any $ for now!
Why? Are you guys serious? Are you not kidding?
No, we are very serious about this since we want you to be happy with your speech first!
After we have delivered your speech, then you name a fair price for it! That’s all! So, you better not joke with this amazing offer! We are very serious about this!
Oh Ok, How Then Do I Get Started Since I Want To Get On Board Right Away?
After that, we will send you a very short and simple questionnaire to fill out!
Then, you have it sent back to us via email
If something is not too clear, we will ask you to clarify.
If not, we will send you a wonderful draft.
Then, you look it over and tell us if you are okay with it or you want to amend it till you are happy with it — although we always get it right even with the first draft.
How to easily write an inspiring and heartfelt award acceptance speech that will earn you several rounds of generous applause.
You are in the right place at the right time if you are looking for tips and ideas to help you write an memorable award acceptance speech.
Just stick with me for a while and I will show you....
How to write a speech for accepting an award
How to use award acceptance speech samples to say something sweet when you mount the podium to receive an award
How to write a funny speech for an award ceremony
...plus a whole lot more ideas you can incorporate into your script
Some folks believe that some people are born lucky. Some others believe we are destined to make it. And a few others believe that hard work makes all the difference.
Is This True About Success?
Do you believe in any of that? Well, I think success is a combination of all these views. Guess what? Even if you think you’re not gifted or not very lucky in life, hard work and perseverance can make you a shining star no matter what your lot in life is.
Take the story of this legendary basketball player: Michael Jordan. When he first entered the league, his jump shot wasn’t good enough. To perfect his craft, he spent his off season taking hundreds of jumpers a day until he became better at it and won several awards in his career.
Speaking of awards, remind me of this quote by actor Tom Cruise.
‘’ Awards are wonderful. I've been nominated many times and I've won many awards. But my journey is not towards that. If it happens it will be a blast. If it doesn't, it's still been a blast ‘’
Tom’s quote is absolutely true. Guess what? No one gets to work on something in high hopes of getting an award or some kind of recognition.
But, when you make an impactful contribution to humanity, you are bound to be rewarded for a great job done. Let’s face it. If you have been nominated alongside with other nominees and you hear your name mentioned as the eventual award winner, that can be quite shocking in itself.
Afterwards, the applause will die down and all eyes will be on you. Then, everyone would be expecting nothing but a brief statement from you.
You only have a few minutes to inspire your audience. Now, the cameras are on you. What are you going to say after you have mounted that podium to accept your award?
You see, your award acceptance speech is a platform not only to showcase what you have done with your mind and hands but also a platform to inspire those who may have similar goals and aspirations like you.
So you shouldn’t just wing it. But you should prepare and plan for it as though your whole life depended on it. I am sure the first question you might want to ask is:
How Can I Deliver An Impressive Award Acceptance Remark?
If you have never made one before, then I recommend that you first get your feet wet by watching a couple of award recognition speeches videos to get a fair idea of how such remarks are delivered.
Youtube.com has several of such video clips. On that platform and elsewhere, you can niche down further by popping your desired keyword into the search box. For example, you can input the keyword ‘’ nursing award acceptance speech’’ or ‘’ music award acceptance speech’’ if you are looking for information in that specific category.
Here are two good videos that can stimulate your writing and thinking abilities with.So, please grab your journal and pen, hit on the play button, sit back and jot down a few ideas that resonate best with you as you feast your eyes on them.
Here you go:
Award Acceptance Speech Video Example #1
Award Acceptance Speech Video Sample #2
Videos are not the only thing that can show you what to say and what not to say at the award ceremony. Best or well-written award acceptance speech examples are also proven tools that can easily help you express your thoughts with clarity and purpose, even if you are not a natural speaker.
For the purpose of this study, I am going to share with you at least three short but brilliant examples. Afterward, we will break at least one down step-by-step so you can figure out how to write your own award recognition remarks.
Please bear in mind that the insights and writing ideas you will discover from our analysis can be applied to your own script even if you are looking forward to delivering a humanitarian, marketing, military, film or movie, honorary doctorate, employee, award recognition speeches…you name it.
If you are in a hurry, then please scroll down to the last example as my comments/analysis starts right from there. By the way, you can jot down ideas you think you can work into your remarks as we review them.
Thank you all, so much, for this wonderful and unexpected recognition.
But perhaps more importantly, thank you for the opportunity to celebrate the empowerment of women and minorities.
Back in the 1980s, when I ran the Dayton operation of Ohio Works – a program that moved women from welfare to work – I hired a young African-American man by the name of Robert E. Johnson.
After a year, I told Robert I wanted to promote him to my second-in-command – quite a well-deserved promotion!
He just stared at me.
His slow-to-arrive response was, “I just don’t think I can do that job.”
I said, “Robert – I know you. When you try hard enough, there isn’t anything you can’t do.”
Today Robert E. Johnson is not only a Ph.D. – but he is the president of Becker College in Worcester, Massachusetts. Not long ago I caught up with Robert, who told me something I’ll never forget.
He said to me, “you are the reason I have advanced to this point.”
“You are the person who told me I could do whatever I wanted to do.” “Your encouraging words changed my life.”
I was so surprised.
In fact – I had even forgotten our conversation so long ago.
But it made me think:
Imagine the impact you can have on someone with just a few simple words of encouragement.
So today, I encourage you to do the same. I encourage you to tell someone you know that they are important. They are worthy. And that you recognize the goodness that lies within them. Tell them that you respect them.
Because the first step to empowering each other is respecting one another. And in our society today, respect is HUGE. And very much needed.
People become empowered when they believe in themselves. So if you can help someone believe in themselves today – you might be helping them change their life tomorrow.
Distinguished guests, officers, soldiers and friends of The Salvation Army.
On behalf of the men and women of Citibank and Citicorp, I accept this Citation of Merit with great pleasure. In the complicated society in which we live, so filled with big institutions, big government, big media and big problems, it is easy to forget that at the center of our society is the individual. While we often speak of organizations or even countries as good or bad, what we really mean is the value system represented by the individuals who make up those organizations or countries. No one has ever heard of state freedom or state morals. These are the exclusive province of the individual.
At the very center of those values stands religion and a belief in the infinite worth of the individual. The Salvation Army, whose centennial in the United States we celebrate this year, has been for more than a century a force for good in the world. It has stood for the equality of men and women, black and white, and lived by those precepts long before the words, "equal opportunity," were coined. The Army, in the words of the Scripture, "will maintain the fabric of the world."
The Army began in this country in 1880 when Commissioner George Scott Railton and seven women officers arrived to found the Army's first mission on this side of the water. At that time, half of New York's population crowded into tenements on the Lower East Side--an area that accounted for 70 percent of the city's deaths.
The Army did not wait for the creation of a city planning commission to cope with the problem; it did not wait for a government grant. They went to work with the situation as they found it, and began in this country their classic work of helping people to help themselves.
The fact that America is a volunteer society has confounded observers for generations. Those who say we must make democracy work, misunderstand our society. Democracy is an idea, an abstraction. It is not possible to make an abstraction work-- only men and women work.
The idea that you and I , and millions like us, can make a difference was commented upon 150 years ago by Alexis de Tocqueville: "These Americans are a peculiar people," he said. "If in a local community a citizen becomes aware of a human need . . . he discusses it with his neighbors . . . (and they) thereupon begin to operate on behalf of the need . . . . It is like watching a miracle, because these citizens perform this act without a single reference to any bureaucracy, or any official agency."
The "peculiar" people who work "miracles" is what America is all about, and what The Salvation Army practices.
The Army does not depend on the government for support. It depends on local efforts from the private sector, on personal caring of one human being for another.
Its concern for others is assistance with a human face. There are no endless forms to fill out, people to see, questions of standards or requirements to meet before assistance is provided. The Army is out in the streets living with the people it helps. Its men and women know what needs to be done from personal experience.
It long ago learned that human problems cannot be solved just by throwing money at them. It takes hard work, determined efforts and continuing and effective programs to combat social evils. From soup kitchens to hospitals, community centers, alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs, emergency and disaster services, social work centers and recreational facilities, the Army takes its fight to where it's happening every day of the year, year in and year out.
It is written that God "created man in His own image." The Army acts on that belief in its work for all men and all women, and our democracy also rests on that idea. It is what Reinhold Neibuhr meant when he wrote, "Nothing that is worth doing can be accomplished in your lifetime; therefore, you will have to be saved by hope.
Nothing that is beautiful will make sense in the immediate instance; therefore, you must be saved by faith. Nothing that is worth doing can be done alone, but has to be done with others; therefore, you must be saved by love."
It is a singular honor to be associated with those who practice that philosophy, and we are grateful that such an organization would find in the men and women of Citibank some kindred spirits. On their behalf--I thank you.
"Thank you. Thank you, that is, that’s incredibly kind. Thank you so much. They only gave me a few minutes so I wanna say a very special thanks to Miss Viola Davis, who is nominated tonight and doing this. Thank you, thank you, I really appreciate it. To the Board of Governors, especially to Whoopi Goldberg, Ava (DuVernay).
"You know when I set out to help someone, it is my intention to do just that. I’m not trying to do anything other than meet somebody at their humanity. Like a case in point, this one time I remember I was, maybe it was about 17 years ago. I rented this building and we were using it for production and I was walking to my car one day and I see this woman coming up out of the corner of my eye and I say, she’s homeless, let me give her some money.
"Judgment. I wish I had time to talk about judgment. Anyway, I reach in my pocket and I’m about to give her the money. She says, 'Excuse me sir. Do you have any shoes?' It stopped me cold because I remember being homeless and having one pair of shoes and they were bent over at the heels. So I was like, 'yeah.' So I took her into the studio.
She was hesitant to go in, but we went in. We go to wardrobe and there all these boxes and everything around the walls and fabrics and racks of clothes. So we ended up having to stand in the middle of the floor. So as we’re standing there in wardrobe, we find some shoes, we help her put them on.
I stand up, I’m waiting for her to look up and all this time she’s looking down. She finally looks up. She’s got tears in her eyes. She said 'Thank you, Jesus, my feet are off the ground.'
"In that moment I recall her saying to me 'I thought you would hate me for asking.' I’m like, 'how can I hate you when I used to be you?' How can I hate you when I had a mother who grew up in a Jim Crow South in Louisiana, rural Louisiana right across the border from Mississippi, who at 9 or 10 years old was grieving the death of Emmett Till. And she got a little bit older.
She was grieving the death of the Civil Rights boys and the little girls who were in the bombing in Alabama. She grieved all this all these years and I remember being a little boy and coming home, and she was at home like, 'what are you doing home? You supposed to be at work.' She was in tears that day. She said there was a bomb threat and she couldn't believe that someone wanted to blow up this place where she worked. Where she took care of all these toddlers. It was the Jewish Community Center.
"My mother taught me to refuse hate. She taught me to refuse blanket judgment, and in this time, and with all of the Internet and social media and algorithms and everything that wants us to think a certain way, the 24-hour news cycle, it is my hope that all of us, we teach our kids and I want to remember, just refuse hate. Don’t hate anybody.
I refuse to hate someone because they are Mexican or because they are Black or white or LGBTQ. I refuse to hate someone because they are a police officer. I refuse to hate someone because they are Asian.
"I would hope that we would refuse hate and I want to take this Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and dedicate it to anyone who wants to stand in the middle, no matter what’s around the wall. Stand in the middle ’cause that’s where healing happens. That’s where conversation happens.
That’s where change happens. It happens in the middle. So anyone who wants to meet me in the middle, to refuse hate, to refuse blanket judgment, and to help lift someone’s feet off the ground, this one is for you too. God bless you and thank you Academy. I appreciate it. Thank you."
Award Acceptance Speech Example #4
Frances Mcdormand delivered this hilarious award speech during the 2018 Academy Awards as best actress.
Okay, so I'm hyperventilating a little bit. If I fall over, pick me up cause I've got some things to say. So I think this is what Chloe Kim must have felt like after doing back-to-back 1080s in the Olympic halfpipe. Did you see that? Okay, that's what it feels like.
"I want to thank Martin McDonagh, look what you did. We are a bunch of hooligans and anarchists but we do clean up nice. I want to thank every single person in this building. And my sister Dorothy. I love you, Dot. And I especially want to thank my clan, Joel and Pedro "McCoen." These two stalwart individuals were well-raised by their feminist mother. They value themselves, each other and those around them. I know you are proud of me and that fills me with everlasting joy.
"And now I want to get some perspective. If I may be so honored to have all the female nominees in every category stand with me in this room tonight, the actors—Meryl, if you do it, everybody else will, c'mon—the filmmakers, the producers, the directors, the writers, the cinematographer, the composers, the songwriters, the designers. C'mon! Okay, look around everybody.
Look around, ladies and gentlemen, because we all have stories to tell and projects we need financed. Don't talk to us about it at the parties tonight. Invite us into your office in a couple days, or you can come to ours, whatever suits you best, and we'll tell you all about them. I have two words to leave with you tonight, ladies and gentlemen: 'inclusion rider.'"
A promise is a promise, right? Ok, I promised to show you how award acceptance speeches are written. And I am going to use that last sample or template to help you understand how the whole thing works.
To make things fairly easy to understand, let’s start by breaking it down into the following parts: the introduction, body or content, and conclusion.
First, let’s look at the introduction. You can see excerpts of it from the screenshots below to guide us forward. Please study it carefully.
''Okay. So I'm hyperventilating a little bit. If I fall over pick me up because I've got some things to say. So I think this is what Chloe Kim must have felt like after doing back-to-back 1080s in the Olympic halfpipe. Did you see that? Okay, that's what it feels like. I want to thank Martin McDonagh; look what you did. We are a bunch of hooligans and anarchists but we do clean up nice. I want to thank every single person in this building. And my sister Dorothy. I love you, Dot...''
The purpose of your introductory remarks is to grab the attention of the audience and set the tone for the rest of your speech. However, most speakers have become accustomed with saying a few words of gratitude because from childhood we are taught to say thank you to anyone who gives us a gift.
But, who can you blame for this? No one, of course! It’s always a nice feeling to thank someone for their kindness and be thanked too. If you just want to thank a few people and wrap up, then you might simply deliver a gratitude-based award acceptance speech.
If you wish to do that, then you can simply write down the names of the people who have helped you reach thus far. You can mention personalities like:
Your own parents
Your spouse
Your kids
Your co-workers
Your professional acquaintances…including your co-nominees
The organizers of the event
If you are very religious person, you can begin with a note of gratitude to God for what he’s done for you.
In an emotional award acceptance speech, the 2019-2020 NBA MVP player, Giannis Antetokounmpo started off his speech by thanking God for blessing him with his ball-handling skills. These were his actual words.
‘’First of all, I want to thank God for blessing me with this amazing talent. I wouldn’t be in this position without his help and support. Thank God for putting me in this amazing position I am in today. Everything I do, I do it through him and I am extremely blessed!’’
That’s not the only way to start your award acceptance speech. There are several engaging ways of opening your speech with a bang and I am happy to share a few ideas with you.
First, you can share how you felt when you were nominated for the award.
‘’ When Jennifer told me that she nominated me, I was astounded. Me? Really? And then I got used to the idea… When I was told that I was being granted the award, I immediately felt humbled. Me? Really? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not giving it back. But reading the nomination and receiving this award is humbling, a privilege, and the biggest honor I’ve ever received. It also serves to remind me what I love about being a pharmacist.’’
‘’Why? Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. Oh my God. So many other songs deserve this. I’m sorry. Thank you so much. This is my first Grammy’s. I never thought this would ever happen in my whole life. I grew up watching them and this is my brother, Finneas, and he’s my best friend…’’
Third, you can start your opening remarks on an emotional note by paying special tribute to someone who contributed massively to your accomplishments but is no longer around. This is how Alicia Keys paid tribute to Kobe Bryant in her speech.
‘’Here we are, together on music’s biggest night, celebrating the artists that do it best. But to be honest with you, we’re all feeling crazy sadness right now because earlier today, Los Angeles, America, and the whole wide world lost a hero. And we’re literally standing here heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant built. Right now, Kobe, and his daughter Gianna, and all of those that have been tragically lost today are in our spirit.
They’re in our hearts. They’re in our prayers. They’re in this building. And I would like to ask everybody to take a moment and just hold them inside of you. Hold them inside of you, and share our strength and our support with their families…’’
Fourth, you can make your opening remarks funny by sharing a joke or making funny comments as Adam Sandler portrayed when he walked up stage to accept his comedic movie award. You can crush it if you are a naturally funny person or have a story to tell.
‘’ "While I might not remember all of your names, teachers, I remember you, because you're forever in my heart. Thank you so much, to the nice, short teacher with the weird glasses from kindergarten.….’’
Fifth, if you have a good story to tell, then go for it because the memory can linger. The anecdote could be about anything as long as it’s somewhat connected to the theme of your message. Here’s how a very eloquent writer captured a story poignantly.
‘’I grew up in Versailles, on my grandparents’ dairy farm. Every day after school, I helped my Aunt Peg carry milk to the calves. It wasn’t easy! But I’d do anything for Aunt Peg, who was physically disabled and used leg braces to walk. She always asked about my day – how school went, and what my friends were up to.
''But then one day I came home – and Aunt Peg wasn’t there. Because of an aneurysm, she had suffered a stroke. And a week later she passed away – at age 35. Today, that story would have ended differently because of the work we’re doing at Mound Laser… ‘’
Sixth, how about starting on a very heartfelt note as Rihanna did when she accepted the NAACP’s highest honor, the President’s Award, in recognition of her charitable work and ongoing dedication to philanthropy.
Action Tip/Homework assignment: Which of these opening remarks do you want to go with? Can you try your hands on one right away using any of that as an inspiration?
Now, let’s look at this:
How to Write the Body or Content of Your Speech
The body is a naturally progression of events that you mentioned in the introduction. No matter how eloquent you are or have no idea who the eventual prize winner would be, you always should have prepared even if you are not the ultimate winner.
To do that, you should first figure out what kind of speech you wish to deliver and create an outline for your award acceptance speech. Ok, let’s pause for a brief moment and carefully analyze these questions:
What kind of remarks do you really want to say?
Do you just want to thank a few people and go back to your seat?
Or you just want to wing it?
Whatever route you take, you should tell a story or two since stories are the heartbeat of any speech.
It could be stories about your own life as the above examples depict.
You may share stories about your struggles you’ve had to face every step of the way.
You may share technical details if your industry borders on that and share how your work has contributed towards making significant progress in your field or sector.
Here’s an excerpt of how you can use scientific research to enrich your presentation.
‘’ As long as there have been societies and physicians to treat them, there have been specialists whose sole purpose was to prepare and administer medicinal treatments. No matter the ancient civilization one studies, there will be evidence of organized and skillful application of pharmaceuticals.
Although we have seen much development of the profession of pharmacy, the profession’s core continues to remains the same – to treat those who are ill and act in the service of our community.
I’ve read studies conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges that show us that America is producing a consistently stagnant number of doctors each year relative to our continually growing population. Since 1980, the U.S. population has grown by 70 million, and the number of U.S. graduates with M.D. degrees has remained flat at about 16,000 per year. Experts have warned that there won’t be enough doctors to treat the millions of newly insured people under healthcare reform laws. At the current graduation and training rates…’’
Whatever style you wish to go for, the writing process can be a breeze if you do a little thinking and share a story or research work that is in sync with the theme or message of your award acceptance speech. Never, ever forget that.
Finally, let us consider…
How You Can End Your AcceptanceSpeech on a Memorable Note
What you say before you exit the stage is as equally important as your opening remarks. But I sometimes wonder why most speakers end rather timidly. They wrap up with words like ‘’Thank you’’ and ‘’Thank you for listening’’
Not too bad. But you can always go beyond that and make yourself proud by introducing one or two unique ways to climax . Your audience trusts you. So shake them up and don’t leave anything to chance. Below are a few guidelines to help you end on a great note.
First, you can make your ending lines very inspiring by asking your audience to unite in the face of seething hurdles and strive to achieve excellence. Here’s how one writer encouraged other pharmacists.
‘’ One last thought: regardless of where we have chosen to practice the profession – hospital, community, retail, consulting, ambulatory care, clinical – we are one profession…I promise you this… We’ve kicked up a whole lot of dust behind us, but there’s a whole lot of trail left in front of us. Hold steady the course. We’ll not only make it, but we’ll be that much better for it. ‘’
Second, you may use your words to bring about a radical shift in mindset or attitude or even call for some kind of empowerment. When Oprah Winfrey won the Cecil B. Demille Award, she masterfully used this technique when she called for women empowerment in these brief but poignant lines.
‘’ In my career what I’ve always tried my best to do is to say something about how men and women really behave, to say how we experience shame, how we love and how we rage, how we fail, how we retreat, persevere, and we overcome…
So I want all the girls watching here, now, to know that a new day is on the horizon! And when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men, fighting hard to ensure that they become the leaders that take us to a time when nobody has to say “Me, too,” again.’’
Third, is there anything you can think of?
Dear Award Winner,
Let’s face it. One of the most prized possessions you will ever get in life is to be rewarded for a job well done.
It gets even sweeter when you have worked hard so hard your whole life and have been recognized for making a positive contribution to humanity.
Nonetheless, it’s not an easy thing when you are asked to deliver a few remarks after receiving your award. Your audience love, admire and respect you and are expecting you to tell them how you made it.
With all eyes on you and everyone applauding you for your excellent work, you might be a blubbering idiot if you don’t prepare very well ahead of time or even decide to wing it. No matter what you feel about speaking in public, you can make a difference if we work together with you.
If you have never made one before, then we are giving you a chance to come up with something inspiring and memorable without pulling your hair out!
Award ceremony around the corner? Or happening in less than 24 hours? Trust me, we can deliver! it doesn’t matter if your speech is today, tomorrow, next week, next month ,next year,... we can make things work for you
Ok, Is This Offer For Me?
Yes, it’s for you if you are overwhelmed by the pressures of work or other things and really don’t have the time to put a beautiful speech together.
Yes you have to get on board; if you don’t know how to start or are not too sure if you can.
Yes, if you are not too eloquent or not too sure if you are on the right track.
Yes, if you feel writing and giving speeches is simply not your thing! You just hate it!
Yes, if you are still struggling to find the right words and ideas to say something memorable.
Yes, if you feel you might make some horrible mistakes!
Yes, if you are a good writer or speaker but you still want someone to look over or review what you’ve come up with!
Ok, I am Interested, What’s the Cost?
You don’t have to give any $ for now!
Why? Are you guys serious? Are you not kidding?
No, we are very serious about this since we want you to be happy with your speech first!
After we have delivered your speech, then you name a fair price for it! That’s all! So, you better not joke with this amazing offer! We are very serious about this!
Oh Ok, How Then Do I Get Started Since I Want To Get On Board Right Away?
After that, we will send you a very short and simple questionnaire to fill out!
Then, you have it sent back to us via email
If something is not too clear, we will ask you to clarify.
If not, we will send you a wonderful draft.
Then, you look it over and tell us if you are okay with it or you want to amend it till you are happy with it — although we always get it right even with the first draft.
