Don't waste time on your speech...

This isn't a message on public speaking--I'm referring the "things are going bad, we have no sales, the economy stinks, the competition is doing bad also, etc.) speech.

CEOs to salespeople to hourly workers are preparing, refining and perfecting the "everything sucks" speech. That speech is a waste of time--and it doesn't work.

Think back on the times you've seen an interview on TV from a political candidate after they lost and they cried about how unfair the competition was...Or watch ESPN and check how you feel when a losing athlete talks about how the officiating was bad or how his/her team was just happy to be in the game (meaning they never thought they had the chance to win).

These "defeat speeches" do nothing for anyone. The answer is: be honest, totally honest...succinct, with no spin. Then focus the rest of your time on how to get out of the funk and make something positive happen.