10 things NOT TO DO when introducing a speaker

In no particular order, Do Not...

1. Make it about you - because it’s not. You don’t even need to introduce yourself. You have a single objective as an introducer and that is to get the audience hyper-engaged for the speaker. I’ll address some strategies for how you do that in another article. 
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2. Use cliches - Can we all agree to stop using cliches whenever we’re speaking in front of an audience, not just for introductions? Cliches are like the piece of parsley on the side of a steak dish - meaningless and an obstacle to getting to what you really want (I love steak). 
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3. Go off script - hundreds, I mean hundreds of times I have seen an emcee or introducer come off script and only about 10% of the time has it worked out in their favor. If you’re one of the individuals that just can’t resist the urge, not a problem, let’s temper it. If you must add your commentary, please keep it to just 1-2 sentences.
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4. Tell a joke you haven’t practiced - we can all feel when someone is forcing humor, but a well placed joke can have a great impact. An effective way to test the humor in your introduction is to give it (read: practice) in front of others and gauge their reaction. 
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5. Be long-winded - Let’s say you’re in line to pay at a store and the patron at the register is chatting it up with the cashier. Then the patron pays, but instead of leaving, he continues to converse. The cashier politely tries to end the conversation with subtle verbal and non-verbal clues, but the patron remains unmoved. It’s awkward for everyone, and frustrating for most, isn’t it? I don’t want you to be that patron. Like the preferred communication style of Insights’ red bricks, you should “be brief, be bright, be gone.”
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6. Wing-it - this may sound redundant when we’ve already talked about not going off script, but it’s different. If the speaker doesn’t provide you with their introduction, please write your own. At a minimum, I suggest a skeleton of your thoughts. And, you should practice giving the introduction at least once prior to game time. All the best athletes and performers scrimmage and practice, respectively.
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7. Be intoxicated - while this may make for an interesting introduction, and likely an extremely memorable one as well, your performance will do you, your audience and your speaker a disservice. Hold off on the Old Fashions until after your introduction.
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8. Set the wrong mood - Meet the audience and event where they are, and/or one level up when it comes to your attire, language and delivery. If you’re at a formal event, be sure to match the dress code and maintain a professional delivery when giving the speaker introduction. Are you at a high-energy, sales retreat in Hawaii? Then don a tropical frock or shirt, and be more upbeat and fun with your tone and mannerisms.
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9. Look at the speaker the whole time - look at your audience, that is who the introduction is for, and look at the speaker at the end when you say their name.
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10. Mispronounce their name - oof!