A House of Civic Fellowship, in a Chaotic Time
Published earlier this month at the website of the City Club of Cleveland. —ed. Political upheaval is both chaotic and clarifying, and the opening weeks of the second administration of …
Leadership Communication Confidential
Dear Executive Communicator, Three weeks into the new administration, my newsfeed has never been louder, and my professional correspondence has never been quieter. For someone who has been close to …
The Year in Leadership Communication
(Retail) Starbucks was down and (Robby) Starbuck was up. Boeing’s CEO apologized sincerely, vowed solemnly and resigned eventually. Many beleaguered college presidents issued statements about why they’ll issue fewer statements …
You Don’t Know the Gettysburg Address
The Gettysburg Address was not a ceremonial speech, inevitably bound for a marble wall. It was a strategy speech, designed to “convince a very skeptical public in the north that …
Why ‘Executive Presence’ Can Be a Touchy Topic
It’s been a couple weeks since my company finished putting on a virtual seminar called “Executive Presence for Exec Comms Pros,” and I’m still thinking about it. Obviously, teaching about …
Do We Really Need a Course in ‘Executive Presence’? Yes, We Really Do.
The term “executive presence” didn’t exist three decades ago when I first became acquainted with the joys and sorrows of corporate executive communication professionals. But I would have made fun …
An Open Letter to a Proponent of AI-Assisted Exec Comms Strategy
David Armano is a veteran marketing communications agency guy who specializes in digital aspects of comms. Last week I ran across a piece he wrote recommending the AI-ification of exec …
Workmanlike, for the Win
This week, a couple of meditations on writing that works—and how it’s not always the sexiest prose that wins the day. —DM *** When Workmanlike Is Better Than Exquisite My …
Another New Study Advances Another Old Canard About Public Speaking!
Of all the professions where you might expect to find a shadowy gang of shysters, pettifoggers and liar’s-poker sharpers—think horse-trading and used-car dealing—you wouldn’t think public speaking training would rank near the top. …
Speechwriter, Your Client Is a Great Big Fourth-Grader
Every year at the Professional Speechwriters Association’s Speechwriting School, the faculty gets asked: How do I animate and effervesce my wooden, flat speaker? Bring in a speaking coach, we say. …