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Teams don’t remember your standard updates. They remember how you made them feel. If you want to shift the tone at the top, or reshape your team culture, you need more than new words or a better slide deck. You need a Creative Communication, or better yet, a series of Creative Communications: peak experiences that signal change, create momentum, and leave people saying, “We’re moving forward. Things are getting better.” This is where Creative Communications make all the diff

Facilitator or Expert: Great communicators know when to lead with expertise and when to guide as a facilitator. Shifting between these roles—based on the room’s needs—builds credibility, trust, and engagement. The key is being intentional: sometimes your value is what you know, and other times it’s how you help others think.

How to Communicate Ownership Without Sounding Aggressive: Communicating ownership without sounding aggressive is about projecting clarity, confidence, and leadership—without dominating the conversation. Instead of reacting defensively to feedback, top consultants like Marty use it as fuel for growth, shifting their mindset and presence in meetings. By embracing structure, leading with purpose, and showing steady direction, they earn respect and trust without raising their vo

The words you choose shape how others perceive your confidence, clarity, and authority. To sound more credible and impactful, eliminate weak qualifiers, filler words, and defensive or overly casual language. Speak with intention, using concise, confident phrasing that reflects clear thinking and leadership.

Physical Presence That Speaks Before You Do: Starts before you speak, it's about physical presence and nonverbal cues that shape how others perceive your confidence, trustworthiness, and authority. Great leaders use posture, gestures, eye contact, stillness, and facial expression to project executive presence. By mastering these elements and experimenting with contrast, you can dramatically increase your impact and influence in any setting.

A Guide for High-Context Communicators: High-context communicators often over-explain to ensure clarity and connection—but in fast-paced settings, too much detail can dilute your message and lose your audience. To be more effective, lead with your main point, ask clarifying questions to gauge what’s needed, and align your message to your audience’s goals. Clarity and brevity don’t sacrifice depth—they sharpen your impact.

The Power of Pre-Framing: Many professionals jump into presentations without checking what their audience actually needs—leading to missed connections and wasted time. Pre-framing is a simple strategy: ask a few key questions upfront to tailor your message in real time, keeping it relevant, efficient, and action-oriented. When you align with your audience...

Why Stories Work Better Than Data: If your pitch is packed with data but not driving action, you may be leading with information instead of inspiration. Storytelling builds emotional connection, urgency, and trust helping people feel the why behind your message. Lead with a person, show the tension, and end with transformation, then let the data support the story.

As a mid-level executive leading major client projects, you’re often joined by more senior colleagues. And despite owning the strategy and execution, it’s easy to feel overshadowed by their titles. How do you shift your mindset and your presence to become a trusted advisor?

How to Prepare for a High-Stakes Talk : You’ve got a big moment ahead—and the fear of sounding stiff or going blank is real. But intentional rehearsal doesn’t kill spontaneity; it unlocks it.

How to Build Trust with CEOs: 5 Proven Strategies for Earning Executive Confidence. Starts with listening, Research, Stand out, Be a good person and Communicate as a leader.

Concise communication is a skill worth mastering. It shows clarity of thought, respect for your audience’s time, and executive presence. But here's the truth: being concise isn’t always the right strategy.

What makes a message about climate change go viral when others fall flat? Katharine Hayhoe’s TED Talk has over 5 million views, and it’s not just because of what she says. It’s how she says it.

A strategic approach to establishing yourself as an authority in your industry or field by sharing valuable insights and expertise.

We included John Mackey in our "Best Public Speakers" list because of how thoroughly and well-researched he lays out his argument, and how he doesn't shy away from the tough questions and dissent he knows he'll be up against.

Communication is not just about words. Every time you speak, you send two messages: a content message and a relationship message.

5 Tips for Leading the Expert Who Won’t Listen, will be earn the Right to Challenge, Power of Perception, Coaching as an Investment, Promote Openness and Performance to Promotion.

July 9, 2025 | Birmingham, MI with Stephanie Bickel At Speak by Design, we believe leadership communication is a skillset that’s always...

Practice together to ensure seamless transitions between CEO and CFO, Get feedback and Polish your delivery

Senior Leaders Leading Technical Teams: They need a leader who can see the big picture, connect roles, create clarity, and remove roadblocks.