Leadership speeches that work

You probably have found yourself at some point listening to a riveting speech, given by a professional speaker at a conference, a business executive, a political figure, etc. – where you drank in every word and were profoundly moved by the message. Conversely, you have certainly also experienced – probably much more often – boring presentations that no one could remember once they had ended. In the second case, the speakers ended up generating only skepticism or hostility with their words and actions, and left the podium without delivering the message they had hoped.

The ability to enthrall an audience, to persuade people and influence their behavior is a major asset for any leader. However, for many, this talent appears to be a sort of unattainable grail. Finding the right tone and a language that speaks to everyone, sparking enthusiasm, inspiring trust – these skills seem to be the exclusive reserve of natural-born orators.

The publications that we have selected show that becoming a good speaker is not just for a gifted few, and that through suitable practice, anyone can greatly improve their performance in this domain. In particular, the authors advise working in two directions:

– Understand that you must establish a bond with your audience, without which people will not be receptive to your message.

– Work on articulating your message to make it comprehensible and memorable for your audience.