Looking for a New Speechwriter? Grow Your Own.

As a senior executive who makes public speeches and presentations, sooner or later, you'll need to find a new speechwriter. Things change. Good speechwriters get promoted. Some leave. And when they're gone, a lot of your hard work goes with them.

Finding a new speechwriter isn't something you can completely delegate. You need to meet with candidates and size them up.

The toughest part of finding a new speechwriter isn't the candidate’s content expertise, age, experience, or salary level.

It's chemistry.

Good chemistry with your speechwriter means you're both on the same wavelength. You have the same worldview. And there is that indefinable connection that's the foundation of trust.

Bad chemistry is much harder to put your finger on. It's an uneasiness between two people that makes close, working partnerships problematic. Unfortunately, chemistry is the toughest quality to get a handle on during the candidate interview.

Now there's a way to solve the chemistry problem.

Develop your own, in-house speechwriting talent.

I'm starting a speechwriter training course called Speechwriting 101: Learn by Doing. It's an intensive, hands-on, 14-week program in the craft of speechwriting created for busy, working professionals. For more information, check out the blogsite: http://speechwriting101.typepad.com.

Now you can put one of your high-potential, hotshot communications professionals into a program that teaches the foundation skills of good speechwriting. And they can complete the program while still doing their regular job.

Speechwriting 101 is not a three-day training seminar. It's not a standard, butts-in-seats, classroom course. Instead, every student gets customized and individualized assignments and detailed, in-depth feedback from me during our weekly phone conversations.

Writing assignments for your speechwriter-to-be will be built around the big issues in your organization. Your issues, challenges, pain points, and hot buttons. There is nothing "generic, one-size-fits-all" about this program.

As a veteran speechwriter with 24 years of CEO-level experience, I've seen it all -- many times over. Now I'm teaching the next generation.

Send me one of your best. In 3 1/2 months, I'll give you back someone who knows what it takes to write a strong, effective speech.

Comments

[Peter Bowler]

Speechwriting 101 sounds a good response to the challenge of finding the right speechwriter with good chemistry. And it helps to build specialist skills within the communications team.
Peter

[Jimmy McClain]

I am a pastor/minister with a special gift for writing and editing. I would love to become a speechwriter. How do I sign up for Speechwriting 101?