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Last week, 20 executive communication professionals from across the U.S. earned a certificate in strategic executive communication from the Executive Communication Council. I was one of these 20 fortunate professionals in the inaugural class of March 2025. We became Leadership Communication Academy-certified after absorbing and internalizing 16+ hours of disciplined, structured, rigorous instruction delivered by […]

Speeches created and delivered as part of a leader’s strategic executive communications often pave the way for change – just like these three historical speeches did. Chances are you’ve never heard of the speeches below, even though the speakers who delivered them are well-known. Take a look at what can happen in the world when […]

The decision is daunting: “Precisely HOW should I open my speech? “What should I say first? “How can I engage the audience – and make an impact – right upfront?” Study the opening lines of these award-winning speeches from the Cicero Speechwriting Awards competition to learn five strategies often used by speechwriters delivering custom speechwriting […]

Thirty-five years ago today – Oct. 30, 1989 – I received my first signed contract to deliver professional communications services, officially establishing Zumwald & Company in Ohio. As I tell people today, it was an experiment that has never ended. Looking back, there have been many milestones and lessons learned that seem appropriate to reflect […]

Many public speakers starting to draft a keynote speech often begin with a simple wish: That the speech they deliver will be “memorable.” Memorable is fine, I suppose, if the speech itself is good. (But if the speech is bad, that’s memorable too – but for all the wrong reasons.) And so I ask: Is […]

Didn’t make it to the Bahamas for the 2023 Convention of Toastmasters International? No matter! Check out these five takeaways that I captured as a virtual attendee last week. Then choose a few nuggets you want to use right away to get better at what it takes to speak like a leader. If you missed […]

People who want to get better as a speaker often face common challenges as they strive to go from good to great. Do you identify with these three challenges shared by my colleague and friend Barbara? Are you ready to do something about them? A few days ago, a longtime colleague and friend I’d coached […]

If your speech doesn’t flow, what could be wrong? What’s getting in the way? Discover what you need to look for — and cut out of your remarks — to make your keynote speech flow even better for your audience. It was Ernest Hemingway who said: “The only kind of writing is rewriting.” That proclamation […]

All public speakers want to write and deliver good speeches. When you’re working on a speech, do you try to speed up the process by getting all your thoughts on paper first? If so, you may find yourself wallowing aimlessly in a sea of words with no clear direction. Read on to find out what […]

Nobody wants to be labeled as a boring speaker. Nevertheless, we’ve all had to endure boring speakers at one time or another. But what are the consequences of being a boring speaker? And what should you do next if you believe the speech you’re working on right now sounds boring?   I recently attended a […]