卡耐基演講·五、認真準備頒獎辭

“我們已經(jīng)證實，人類心靈最深摯的渴望是被認可——得到榮譽?！薄癐t has been proved that the deepest yearning of the human heart is for recognition-for honor!"

作家瑪嬌莉·威爾森的這一句話表達了人們的一種共同的感受。我們都想一生與他人和睦相處，受人稱贊。別人的好評，哪怕僅是一個字——更別說是在正式場合里接受別人的贈獎——都能神奇地使人的精神亢奮起來。When Margery Wilson, the author, wrote this she expressed a universal feeling. We all want to get along well in life. We want to be appreciated. Someone else's commendation, if it is only a word-let alone a gift presented at a formal affair-lifts the spirit magically.

網(wǎng)球明星愛爾蒂·吉柏森，就把這份“人類心靈的渴望”極其恰當(dāng)?shù)赜糜谧詡鞯臅?。她稱它為“我要做重要人物”。Althea Gibson, the tennis star, managed to get this" yearning of the human heart" most aptly into the title of her autobiography. She called it, I Wanted To Be Somebody.

我們在做頒獎辭時，是要對接受者重新保證，他真是“重要人物”——他的某項努力已經(jīng)成功，他應(yīng)該得到榮譽，我們聚在一起就是給他這份光榮。我們的頒獎辭應(yīng)該簡短，但卻應(yīng)該經(jīng)過仔細思考，對經(jīng)常接受榮譽的人來說，這或許意義不大，可是對那些沒有那么幸運的人來說，卻可能終生記憶鮮明了。When we make a speech of presentation, we reassure the recipient that he really is somebody. He has succeeded in a certain effort. He is deserving of honor. We have come together to pay him this honor. What we have to say should be brief but we should give it careful thought. It may not mean much to those who are used to receiving honors, but to others less fortunate it may be something to he remembered brightly all the rest of a lifetime.

因此，我們在介紹這樣的榮譽時，應(yīng)慎重地選用詞語。這里有一套屢試不爽的公式：We, therefore, should give serious consideration to our choice of words in presenting the honor. Here is a timetested formula:

（1）說明是為什么頒獎。也許是因為長時間的服務(wù)，或贏得競賽，或因某一項重要成就。只說明這個即可。1.Tell why the award is made. Perhaps it is for long service, or for winning a contest, or for a single notable achievement. Explain this simply.

（2）講述得獎人的生活言行，這是聽眾感興趣的事。2.Tell something of the group's interest in the life and activities of the person to be honored.

（3）講述得獎人多么值得領(lǐng)取該獎，大家對他的感情多么熱烈。3.Tell how much the award is deserved and how cordially the group feels toward the recipient.

（4）恭賀得獎人，并轉(zhuǎn)達大家對他前途的衷心祝福。4.Congratulate the recipient and convey everyone's good wishes for the future.

對于這類小型的講演，最重要的就是要真誠，我想不必細說，人人都了解這一點。所以，你若被挑選出來發(fā)表頒獎辭，你就已經(jīng)像那位接受者一樣，獲得榮耀了，因為你的朋友們知道，能把這份需要心思與頭腦的任務(wù)托付給你，是不會讓你去犯某些演講家所犯的那些夸大其辭的過錯的。Nothing is so essential to this little talk as sincerity. Everyone realizes this, perhaps without saying so. So if you have been chosen to make a speech of presentation you, as well as the recipient, have been honored. Your associates know you can be trusted with the task that demands a heart as well as a head. This must not tempt you to make certain mistakes that some speakers make. They are mistakes concerned with exaggeration.

像這樣的一個時刻，最容易言過其實地夸大某人的優(yōu)點。如果確實值得頒獎，就應(yīng)該實說，但不宜添油加醋。瞎捧力吹會讓接受者難過，更說服不了眼睛雪亮的聽眾。At a time such as this it is easy to exaggerate someone's virtues far beyond their real measure. If the award is deserved, we must say so, but we should not add words of over-praise. Exaggerated praise makes the recipient uncomfortable and it doesn't convince an audience which knows better.

我們也應(yīng)該避免夸大獎品本身的重要性，也不要強調(diào)它的價值，而應(yīng)該強調(diào)贈獎人的友善心境。We also should avoid exaggerating the importance of the gift itself. Instead of stressing its intrinsic value, we should emphasize the friendly sentiments of those who are giving it.