Icebreaker speech for a speaking club
Cue cards for your first prepared speech at a public speaking club: a four to six minute personal introduction with an opening hook, three short life chapters, what you hope to gain and a warm close.
Speech8 cardsAbout 5 min to speakIntermediateWork
Lightning talk template (5 minutes)
Cue cards for a five-minute lightning talk at a meetup, conference or team event: one problem, one idea, one example and one takeaway, with timings for every card so you finish before the buzzer.
Free to use, edit, print and study. No account needed: your set stays on this device.
The cards
- 1
The rule of one
- One problem
- One idea or solution
- One example
- One thing to remember
Timing: 30s hook · 60s problem · 90s idea · 90s example · 30s close
- 2
Hook (0:00 to 0:30)
Hi, I am [name]. [A one-line question or confession, e.g. Last month I spent [time] doing [frustrating task] by hand.]
In the next five minutes, I will show you [what they will learn].
- 3
Problem (0:30 to 1:30)
The problem is [problem in one sentence].
It shows up when [situation the audience recognises], and it costs [time, errors, frustration].
Show of hands: Who has run into this?
- 4
Idea (1:30 to 3:00)
Here is what helped: [your idea, tool, technique or habit].
It works because [simple explanation].
The key step is [one thing to do differently].
- 5
Example (3:00 to 4:30)
Here it is in practice: [before → after, a short live demo, a screenshot or a quick story].
Result: [what changed for you or your team].
- 6
Close (4:30 to 5:00)
So, one thing to remember: [takeaway].
Try it this week by [smallest first step]. Slides and links at [link]. Thank you.
- 7
If time runs out
Jump straight to the close card. The takeaway matters more than finishing the example.
Watch the timer at: [where the clock or timekeeper will be].
- 8
Slide plan (optional)
- Title and the hook question
- The problem in one picture
- The idea in a few words
- Before and after
- Takeaway and link
Five slides or fewer. Some events auto-advance slides every 15 or 20 seconds; check the format.
How to use this template
Lightning talks are short, fast talks, usually five minutes, given back to back at meetups, conferences, hackathons and team knowledge-sharing sessions. The time limit is strict, so the talk must be ruthlessly focused. This template uses a 'rule of one': one problem, one idea, one example and one takeaway, with suggested timings on every card so you can practise against a clock. The hook card introduces you and makes a promise, the problem card gets the audience nodding, the idea and example cards carry the content, and the close leaves one memorable action. There is a backup card for when time is running out and a simple slide plan if you need visuals.
Tips
- Choose a topic small enough to explain in five minutes; one technique is better than an overview of a whole field.
- Practise with a timer until you finish at four minutes 45 seconds, which gives you a small buffer on the day.
- If you plan a live demo, record a backup video or screenshots in case the network or laptop fails.
- Speak slightly slower than feels natural. Nerves speed most people up, and short talks make it worse.
- Put the link to your slides or resources on the final slide so people can follow up without catching you afterwards.
- Check whether the event uses an auto-advancing slide format and practise with it if so.
- Introduce yourself in a single line; the organiser has only five minutes for you too, and the audience wants to get to the idea.
- Stay near the stage for a few minutes after the session, because lightning talks often spark the best conversations in the break.
Make it fit
- For a three-minute slot, drop the show of hands and shorten the example to a single before-and-after line.
- For a ten-minute talk, add a second example and a short card on common mistakes.
- For a non-technical meetup, swap the demo for a short story or photograph that shows the idea working.
- For an internal team session, end with a question to the group instead of a link, so the idea can be discussed straight away.
- For a student showcase or science fair, use the same cards to present your project, with the method as the idea and your results as the example.
Updated October 28, 2026