Honesty is the number one trait that people look for and admire in their leaders. Leadership experts Kouzes and Posner, regularly run surveys on the characteristics that employees value most in their leaders and what makes them an “admired leader”. Honesty has come out as the number one characteristic time and time again, exceeding foresight, inspiration, competence and intelligence. So as a speaker always be honest, never make stuff up, don’t answer questions that you don’t know and certainly don’t fake it until you make it.
What happens is that people in the audience will find out, someone will have seen you speak before,someone will google or search for proof of what you have said and as they say the truth will always come back to bite you. Make sure you are honest and what you say will stand scrutiny and the test of time.
Finally, “Truth has no special time of its own. Its hour is now – always”. Albert Schweitzer