What We Can Learn from Great Political Speakers

The worlds of business and politics might seem worlds
apart, but executives can learn a lot from the most
successful political communicators. Terry Szuplat spent
several years on the speechwriting team for President Barack Obama,
helping to carefully craft his messages and win
over audiences. He has gone on to coach business
leaders including Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, and he
says that many of the same principles for good speechwriting
and delivery apply - whether you’re giving a
presentation to your team, pitching a client, or making
comments in a moment of crisis. He explains the
importance of authenticity and personal
stories, structure, language choice and presence. Szuplat
is the author of the book Say It Well: Find Your Voice, Speak
Your Mind, Inspire Any Audience.