Consistent eye contact. Vocal variation. Dynamic facial expressions, gestures and movement: These have been the clearcut rules for good public speakingโ€”enforced in textbooks, reinforced in corporate trainings and confirmed by our own reactions as audience members.

Yet, comms pros serve many speakers who cannot meet these โ€œstraightforwardโ€ expectations, and become distracted, disconnected and exhausted from trying. 

How can we help such speakers?

In this webinar, public-speaking expert Amy Arbogast will show us what communication feels like for a neurodivergent speakerโ€”and why some struggle to make eye contact or vary their voice, facial expression or body language. Rather than offering ways to help them โ€œfake it until they make it,โ€ Arbogast will instead explore how to help these speakers actually leverage their differences as strengths to engage their audience in authentic, sometimes unexpected, ways.

You will learn:

  • What helps neurodivergent speakers build connection in ways that also work for neurotypical audiences.
  • How to leverage the strengths of neurodivergent brains to impact audiences in remarkable, novel ways.
  • How to write for a neurodivergent speaker; matching word choices and speech patterns to their authentic style.
  • What you can do to help neurotypical audiences do their part, to accommodate neurodivergent speakers.
  • How to navigate a conversation about neurodivergence with a speakerโ€”actually, how to navigate a conversation with any speaker about their own personal strengths and areas of discomfortโ€”and adapt your strategies accordingly.

As a bonus, we will also explore how neurodivergent comms pros can use the strengths of their brains to support their principals through uncommon creativity, problem-solving skills and powerful intuition.

After this interactive session, youโ€™ll come away with a set of tools you can use for your principalsโ€”and yourselfโ€”for the rest of your career.

SPEAKER

Amy Arbogast

Amy Arbogast

Amy Arbogast is a Co-Founder and Lead Coach of Spark Speak LLC, where she provides coaching sessions and workshops to individuals, corporations, and professional organizations. She is committed to helping all speakers find their unique voices, communicate their messages effectively, and forge meaningful connections with their audiences. She is particularly passionate about supporting neurodivergent speakers and challenging traditional assumptions regarding public speaking expectations. Amy is also an Associate Professor of Writing and Speaking at the University of Rochester, where she directs the Speaking Center, a public speaking peer tutoring center.

HOW IT WORKS

Exec Comms Support for the Neurodivergent Leader is a 90-minute session conducted via Zoom Webinar. The session will commence at 12noon Eastern and conclude by 1:30pm.

Before the session, weโ€™ll email simple directions to join the webinar. And after the session, weโ€™ll email a link to the webinar recording.

REGISTER

Cancellations Policy
No refunds on cancellations less than 30 days before the event. Within 30 days, your payment will be credited toward a future Executive Communication Council or Professional Speechwriters Association event. 

$395 to attendย Exec Comms Support for the Neurodivergent Leader on February 27,ย 2025.

$296.25 for members of theย Professional Speechwriters Associationย (discount will show in checkout when loggedย in).

Phone registrations please callย 312-585-6383

$395.00

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