In the news: Speech by Zumwald mentioned in Forbes
JERSEY CITY, N.J., June 30, 2019 — An award-winning client speech written by Teresa Zumwald was mentioned in Forbes in a leadership strategy article written by Carmine Gallo, Forbes senior contributor and bestselling author of several books on public speaking, presentations and storytelling.
Gallo’s article, “How Inspiring Leaders Turn Everyday Presentations Into Extraordinary Experiences,” called out the speech, which won a Cicero Speechwriting Award from Vital Speeches of the Day, for “unleashing the spirit of innovation at an employee meeting.”
The speech, “The Keys to Our Collective Success,” was delivered by Rick Schwartz, chairman of the board for Winsupply in Dayton, Ohio.
Gallo noted that the speech was delivered in a venue not known for great speechmaking: an employee meeting.
“It’s not the type of presentation most people would associate with inspiring rhetoric, but inspire it did,” wrote Gallo, who said the right words “can transform a common meeting into an uncommon experience for the audience.” He also said that “any opportunity to face an audience is an opportunity to lift them to another level.”
In particular, Gallo called attention to the speech opening:
“The other day I was browsing the web and came upon an interesting article about the Wright Brothers and their inventions,” Schwartz begins. “Most people say offhand, ‘The Wright Brothers invented the airplane!’ But in reality? That’s not quite true. The Wright Brothers invented a flying machine they could control in the air. Their invention was all about control … This idea — that our ability to master a set of fundamentals leads to innovation and collective success — is what I want to talk to you about today.”
Gallo also provided a bit of analysis in his Forbes piece:
The speaker then explains why mastering the fundamentals will free the staff to innovate and contribute to their collective success over time. Keep in mind that Winsupply is a privately held company that gives entrepreneurs around the country — local owners — a stake in the company’s overall success.
Gallo noted that the speech ends with a “rousing call to action”:
“Staying true to these fundamentals is the only way to deliver the American Dream to a lot of people … It’s up to YOU to protect and defend this unique and different opportunity — the Spirit of Opportunity — that’s been handed down to you. It’s up to YOU to master the fundamentals. It’s up to YOU to continue to innovate. It’s up to YOU to work hard together, as equity partners, to build collective success — now and in the future.”
Gallo then spoke with David Murray, publisher of Vital Speeches and executive director of the Professional Speechwriters Association, about the speech. Gallo wrote:
According to Murray, the speech stood out because it was tailored to place and audience — The Wright Brothers were from Dayton. The speaker told a personal story that ties into the place and the theme of the speech. And the conclusion of the speech makes a unique emotional impact “that can only happen in a physical roomful of people experiencing the words shoulder-to-shoulder with their colleagues.”
