Speechwriting

Anytime you have to write and deliver a speech, it’s common to face a challenge or two. But what if something happens to disrupt the event? Keep this story close at hand in your bank of ideas for speeches, and learn how to pivot when problems arise.   When it comes to a speech, the […]

Are you writing a speech with a crucial message and feeling the need to bounce your ideas off of a trusted colleague? Effective collaboration is the difference between a futile partnership and a phenomenal one. Here are 10 tips for leaders who want to collaborate with a thought partner to write more powerful speeches.   […]

Are you a business communicator or leader who struggles to create a speech or presentation? Here are five burning questions that communicators and leaders have been asking about how to write speeches.   We had a lively discussion during my breakout room session at the virtual HERStory Business Communication Expo presented by IABC Greater Cincinnati. […]

You can’t deny it: Verbal slop and drivel often find their way into speeches and presentations. Don’t let this happen to you! Instead, learn to do what amazing public speakers do.   Did you know there’s an entire week each year – Words Matter Week – dedicated to stamping out “verbal slop and drivel”? That […]

CEOs and business leaders: When you have a crucial point to make – and you need to drive it home – don’t ignore the power of repetition as one of the public speaking basics you need to master.   Last weekend, my husband and I left a church service rather uninspired by the minister’s sermon. “Where […]

Learn the one thing you must do as a speaker to avoid epic fails (aka speeches gone wrong).   I was doing some catch-up work last week and tuned in to a recorded virtual presentation on a timely business topic delivered by an executive a few weeks ago. I tried to pay attention (really I […]

Working on a speech for a virtual audience? Give your creative juices a jolt with these five ideas for a fresh approach to your opening lines.   Getting a virtual audience on the edge of their virtual seats is no small feat.   The best presenters agonize over their opening lines – and rightly so! […]

To memorize or not to memorize? That is the question. If you want to know how to be confident when public speaking, do the work it takes to internalize your speech.   A common question I get from leaders preparing to deliver a keynote speech at either an in-person or virtual event is this: Should […]

Your conference keynote may miss the mark if you forget to tap one of the best public speaking resources available to every speaker right now.   The email arrived late on a Monday evening: “I have to prepare the closing keynote speech at a prestigious annual conference for more than 1,000 technical professionals online. I’m […]