Be a team player. That’s good advice whether you are in the military, an office or a football team. Too much attention seems to be given to the individual stars and there is no doubt that some people are outstanding in their fields. If we are to succeed in any given arena though we have to learn to pull together with others. Even the most talented player in any field will have some faults and will need the support or influence of others. Certainly even those who play individual sports will have support from coaches or mentors So being a team player is something that managers, officers and coaches have to get across to those they are training. As the saying goes, there is no i in the word team. Some will reply that there is me in team but that is a selfish and childish response. As the advertisement says, together we can make things happen.

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Army officers don’t only give orders. There are also lots of occasions when they have to give speeches. Retirements and weddings are such occasions. They speak to their troop too when there is a change of command or when it is a question of deployment or re-enlistment. Whatever the occasion the speech has to express the core values of the army, values like loyalty, camaraderie and service. Some occasions are more formal than others and an after dinner speech can be light-hearted if those attending are celebrating, say a promotion if a close friend. Some occasions occur regularly too such as graduations and again the speech has to be motivational. Officers may be taught to shoot from the hip but good public speaking is another essential weapon in their armoury.

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Most of us are taught to say “Please” and “Thank you.” When it comes to dinners and functions though there are other things that should be said. Someone should welcome the guests for instance. Guest speakers need to be thanked. There might be a toast to the ladies and someone would have to reply to that toast. It’s all about etiquette as well as good manners and every function is different. The armed forces, for instance, may have a loyal toast. So if you are organising a function ensure you know what ought to be said and ensure someone says just the right thing.

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Marching is part of a soldier’s life. What happens, though when that soldier marches out of the army? There will, of course, be a farewell function of some kind and, naturally, a speech will be given. What to say in that speech is sometimes a problem for the designated speaker. If it is an officer he or may not know the soldier well. If so it pays to do a little research. Speak to a colleague or friend and find out something about that soldier’s background and plans. Words like duty well done should feature in the speech. So too will talk of camaraderie in the ranks. If possible it is good to refer to some incident or indeed incidents during the service of the soldier in question. He or she may, for instance, have served in a danger zone. It will make the speech really personal if you speak of that soldier’s plans for the future. If you don’t actually know them at least speak positively about all the options that are available to someone who does not have to answer to reveille any more.

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Leaders do more than just lead. They also have to speak a lot. So motivational speeches are their stock in trade. They may be coaches speaking to their teams. It could be that they are spiritual leaders addressing a congregation. They might be officers in the army giving deployment speeches. In fact it is possible that they are C.E.O’s inspiring their sales staff or teachers speaking at a graduation. Whatever the occasion and whatever type of leader is in question their job is to motivate their particular audience to do something or be someone. So there speeches have to capture attention and challenge behaviour. They have to communicate their message clearly. They have to convince those listening that it IS possible, whatever it happens to be.

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Responsibility is a word that carries a lot of weight. In Military circles it becomes change of responsibility and there is a ceremony that goes with the responsibility. A sword is passed from the outgoing to the incoming NCO as a symbol of that change. Mothers take responsibility for their children’s’ safety of course and teachers do too. Generally speaking, though, only military personnel have the care of a group of soldiers under their command. It is an onerous task when you consider that they may be deployed in a war zone. The troop is, of course, only as good as the NCO in charge and the army has its own ways of selecting the best. The speeches given at such a ceremony reflect the views of the outgoing officer on the camaraderie and discipline of the troop he is leaving. The incoming officer will look forward to achieving equally good results. So each will speak of the responsibility involved and the best method of dealing with it.

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It’s in all the papers. It’s being mentioned on the news. 9/11 is big news just now because it is ten years since the atrocity happened. It’s been ten years since we experienced tragedy such as we had never experienced before. It’s ten years since the sky rained its death and destruction. It was a time that showed the worst and the best of humankind. Words like courage, bravery and commitment were a part of it as were sorrow, grief and heartbreak. Soon we will commemorate that awful time and we will speak lovingly of lost ones and emotively of those who gave their lives for others. All the word won’t bring them back but they will give comfort and they will make us think. We need to think of the reason why it happened and what we can do to prevent it happening again. We need to believe in a better world.

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Will you be speaking on September the 11th? Will you be paying tribute to the fire-fighters and emergency crews? Will you be mentioning those who lost their lives on those planes? There will, of course be many ceremonies to mark the anniversary of 7/11. It’s ten years since it happened and for some the grief is as raw now as it was then. Others have moved on with their lives but there is still an ache in their hearts, an empty place that cannot be filled. For political and military leaders there is the question of what should be done to prevent a reoccurrence. For religious leaders a question still remains. How do we integrate diverse beliefs? 7/11 then is much more than a date. It’s still a case of unanswered questions.

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Sept.11th is a day for looking back in sadness. It’s the 10th anniversary of a day that will never be forgotten. It’s a day when we should commemorate those lost at the twin towers. Everyone has a different memory. Everyone feels differently about that day. That’s why there will be so many commemorative ceremonies and so many different speeches. Those speeches will have many of the same themes, sadness for those lost, pride in the heroism of many and determination to do everything possible so that such a tragedy will never again occur. That tenth anniversary will evoke feelings of patriotism too. Patriotism maybe an old-fashioned word but it is still as relevant today as ever. So speeches should reach out to those still suffering loss, should praise those who have conquered their bitterness and, above all, draw communities and a country together

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Many military officers are coming and going. They are leaving their command or joining another. When they do they usually want to say a few words about their feelings on the occasion. They may, for instance, have served in battle and want to express their admiration for their troops who were so brave under fire. They may simply be taking up another command in another country. If so they might want to speak of the challenges that lie ahead. It could be that they want to explain that those troops are going as representatives of their country which will be judged by them. Being a commanding officer is a privilege but without their troops they cannot amount to anything. Usually they will recognise this and speak of the contribution made by such troops. They will praise them of course and perhaps speak of a shared mission or incident. Their speeches will be motivational in tone and of course, refer graciously either to the previous officer or the one who will be taking over the command. Such speeches should be short and sincere and leave those listening feeling proud and patriotic.

Check out our sample speeches

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