“I Put the Words on Paper and He Took Them to Another Level”
When I accepted the job as AFL-CIO Director of Speechwriting, my coworkers at the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union sent me off with a toast: “To the voice …
Euphemism, for Good and Ill
In my book An Effort to Understand, I tell the story of how I once told my five-year-old daughter that in our family, we don’t say passed away—we say died. …
“Textual Deviates”
Last week I was writing a column on speechwriters’ behalf for a magazine for CEOs. (Oh yes, I’ll share that when it comes out.) I was at pains to explain …
Our Whole Soul
In his inaugural address, President Biden named a lot of massive problems the country has to tackle. COVID. Economic horrors. Social justice and racial equity—the explicit term, “white supremacy” appeared …
Boring Is Beautiful
I was invited to sit in on a conference call with some political speechwriters this week. As we discussed President-Elect Biden’s rhetoric, I said something that annoyed some of the …
The America in our heads: A suggestion for leaders wondering what’s left to say
Written a couple of weeks ago and published on my personal blog Writing Boots, with instructions for people charged with writing something meaningful for CEOs and other institutional leaders: “Break …
Communication coaching for communication coaches
Not long ago, a speechwriter friend of mine sent a video to her CEO client, a woman, and the CEO told her the video was sexist. The speechwriter sent the …
FDR, Orson Welles, and “the Fala speech”
““It was a great show,” FDR told his prominent speechwriter after a speech that helped him win the 1944 presidential election, “in which you played a great part.”
Leadership, now: An interview with Freeman Hrabowski
Last Friday at a Professional Speechwriters Association conference for folks who help higher-ed leaders communicate, University of Pennsylvania speechwriter Mike Field interviewed Freeman Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, …
A Stunning Note of Grace
Speech by First Lady Melania Trump, August 25, 2020. Republican National Convention, Second Night. First Lady Melania Trump faced a low bar for her speech. At the last GOP convention, in …