Keynote speaking
Leadership,
told through
history
A talk for annual meetings, conventions and awards dinners, about leading people who don’t agree with you, told through the summer that produced the Constitution.
The talk
For most of a decade I’ve been getting people excited about American history through my podcasts American History Tellers, American Scandal and History Daily. The keynote is the same work, but done live and in person: one true story about people under pressure, and what their choices then still have to say to your people now.
These lessons were learned in the summer of 1787, when the men sent to Philadelphia to repair a failing government decided instead to replace it, and three of them, in three very different ways, saw it through. It’s a talk about some great habits of leadership: arriving prepared, being present, and knowing when to give ground so that something larger can get built.
It’s entirely customizable. Before any event, we can talk for half an hour about who will be in the seats and what the themes and objectives are.
The particulars
- Length 35 to 60 minutes, whatever fits your program.
- Occasion Annual meetings, conventions, awards dinners, general sessions and leadership retreats.
- Format A keynote. I’m happy to take questions afterward or to sit down for an on-stage conversation.
- Setup A microphone and a lectern. The talk is scripted and read (just like my podcasts), not memorized, so I’ll need the lectern or a confidence monitor. Projected visuals are available if your room has a screen.
- Beforehand One conversation with you, so the talk is about your people and not only about 1787.
- Fee It varies with the date and the travel. Tell me about the event and I’ll come back to you with a number.
About me
I host American History Tellers, American Scandal and History Daily, enjoyed by millions. I run Airship, an independent podcast production company in Dallas.
Booking
If you’re putting together a program and think I might fit, tell me about it here. These come straight to me, and I answer them myself.