I admit it…I’m darn proud to have won the 2010 Cicero Award for Best Written Commencement Speech. The award is for my work on a speech delivered by Anne Lynam Goddard, President & CEO, Christian Children’s Fund to Assumption College, her Alma Mater in, June 2009. The Cicero Awards are presented by Vital Speeches of the Day, the nation’s leading professional speechwriting publication.

It was a wonderful assignment. Truth be told,  Anne Goddard made this award possible by sharing so much of her history, her humor, and her life lessons. She’s the kind of speaker speechwriters’ dream about.

Vital Speeches of the Day publishes effective speeches by those who have attained leadership in the fields of business, politics, education, government, and more. The Cicero Speechwriting Awards honor excellent speechwriting and the creative people behind powerful speeches. With categories like Best-Written Speech by Organization Type, Best-Written Speech on a Topic, Best-Written Speech by Special Occasion and the Grand Award, the Cicero Speechwriting Awards recognize the work that goes into making the speeches that help leaders achieve prominence in all sectors of business, politics and society.

If you’re in D.C., I hope to see you at the Capital Communicators Group monthly lunch, Thursday, November 12, 2009, noon – 1:30 p.m.

The topic is, “It’s Not Just What You Say, but How You Say It …  some veteran speechwriters share some of the unique challenges of speechwriting as well tips of the trade.” I’m one of those vets, the other is Ann Scholl, a speechwriter for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It does cost $20 bucks, but Ann and I will be worth it.

You’ll find more information at the Capital Communicators Blog.

Come on down and see us!

Conventional wisdom suggests that the CEO is primarily a coach and a utility infielder, dropping in to solve problems where they crop up. In fact, however, the CEO has a very specific job that only he or she can do: Link the external world with the internal organization.

A.G. Lafley, CEO, Procter & Gamble

From the May issue of the Harvard Business Review

This post will prove that I can say something nice about the Administration’s economic policy team. While Treasury Sec. Geithner keeps providing lessons to CEOs on how NOT to communicate, Fed Chief Bernanke demonstrated the right way to use an interview during his recent interview on 60 Minutes.
1. Show that you get it.
Asked about AIG, Bernanke said, “I understand why the American people are angry. It’s absolutely unfair that taxpayer dollars are going to prop up a company that made these terrible bets, that was operating out of the sight of regulators, but which we have no choice but the stabilize, or else risk enormous impact, not just in the financial system, but on the whole U.S. economy.”
2. Use arguments that normal humans can understand.
Asked why the Administration is bailing out big banks instead of punishing them, Bernanke replied. “If you have a neighbor, who smokes in bed. And he’s a risk to everybody. If suppose he sets fire to his house, and you might say to yourself, you know, ‘I’m not gonna call the fire department. Let his house burn down. It’s fine with me.’ But then, of course, but what if your house is made of wood? And it’s right next door to his house? …

Nothing wrong with making a mistake, as long as you learn from it. As I recently posted, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner’s speech three weeks ago announcing the administration’s “financial stability plan” was widely panned, and rightly so. Saturday Night Live even had a go at him.

So after absorbing all these criticisms he went on Charlie Rose a few days ago, and …almost nothing changed.

Matt Eventoff’s blog, Communication 3.0 has a detailed critique of everything about the performance – from content to body language. Very worth reading, with all the points well taken.

But, to me, the single greatest problem remains what it was three weeks ago. Geithner is still not doing what a turnaround executive absolutely must do: present a clear, step-by-step recovery plan, that has a realistic chance of success.
As Eventoff said, “what the public wants to hear is an understandable plan explaining how and when the economy will improve.”

Mr. Secretary, we’re still waiting.