Question

Your speech has run overtime and you’ve been given the 30-second stop signal. You wonder if it would be best to ignore the signal and just continue your speech or if you should wrap up in 30 seconds. In either case, What do you say? [Time Problem]

Answer 1

Answer: "I am sorry that I won't be able to say everything I'd planned in my remaining time, but please let me conclude with . . ."  Then state your most important idea and make your conclusion before time runs out.

Explanation:  If you may be cut off by the moderator or the chairman, your audience will at least hear the conclusion you planned. If you are stopped ( and it DOES happen ) in mid-sentence or without making your most important point, the audience will see you as disorganized, or insensitive to the time limits, and may have an unfavorable impression of you-- and they will have missed the purpose of your speech.