The Motivated Speaker

"A refreshingly approachable and empowering guide to public speaking, this addition to the literature combines actionable strategies with emotional intelligence to create a utilitarian playbook for speakers of all experience levels." —Matt vandenBerg, President, Ohio Wesleyan University

"In any organization, leaders need exceptional presentation skills, but teaching these skills can be a significant challenge. For over ten years, we have partnered with the Articulation team to assist our leaders in succession in delivering effective and actionable communication. The Motivated Speaker sheds light on what sets their coaching and training apart. They go beyond teaching mere skills; they foster a transformative mindset shift within leaders." —Nichole Kneedler, Chief Talent Officer, EVP, The Huntington National Bank

"As someone who spends every day in the professional speaking world, I can tell you my trajectory to this place would have been a lot faster had I read this book years ago. Ruth, Acacia and Blythe have finally explained why someone becomes a better speaker over another. Assuredly a must-read for anyone trying to improve their speaking skills at any level." —Jon Petz, Amazement Artist™, Business Inspirational Speaker, Conference Emcee, National Speakers Bureau Hall of Fame Member

"I call on this team when I have smart leaders who need to communicate with greater impact. This book demonstrates why their training is so effective. They go beyond simple do’s and don’ts and make you think differently every time you speak." —Barbara Kelley, Vice President People, Safelite

"Everyone benefits from speaking well, whether they are talking with a colleague informally or presenting in a high stakes setting. But most of us have never had any training on how to speak well. And the books that are out there tend to provide tips and tricks instead of principles that change our approach to speaking. Finally we have a book that explains transformative concepts for speaking that is accessible for all of us. The three talented coaches and trainers have used the threshold concepts framework to invite all of us into effective and successful verbal communication." —Elizabeth Wardle, Roger & Joyce Howe Distinguished Professor of Written Communication Director, Roger and Joyce Howe Center for Writing Excellence, Miami University (Ohio)

“The Motivated Speaker is a transformative guide for anyone eager to unlock their communication potential. Ruth, Acacia, and Blythe masterfully introduce six threshold principles, offering fresh insights into learning the art of effective speaking. Packed with relatable stories and practical wisdom, this book inspires and empowers readers to become confident, impactful communicators. The lessons and speaker stories felt extremely familiar and are a great motivator!”—Sarah Milks Bethel, Head of Global Supply Chain, Paula’s Choice Skincare/Unilever

“We turned to the expertise of Articulation to enhance the posit::conf() experience for our 1,500 attendees. Over the past four years, their talents have helped our annual 90+ speakers (no matter their experience level) really upskill their presentations and meaningfully improved the overall conference experience. The Motivated Speaker offers a rare chance to learn from these coaches and apply their techniques to elevate your own speaking engagements.” —Hadley Wickham, Chief Data Scientist, Posit

“In my years working with Ruth Milligan, both as a speaker coach and co-curator of TEDxColumbus, I’ve witnessed firsthand her expertise in helping speakers find their voice. The Motivated Speaker distills the Articulation team’s wisdom into an insightful, practical guide for anyone seeking to become a more effective communicator. Many of the tips I learned from Ruth I use to this day!” —Nancy Kramer, Founder, Public Board Director, Chief Evangelist, IBM

“For those without access to a coach, The Motivated Speaker is a gift. My work with Acacia taught me to be comfortable in the ‘messy’ process. The experience had such an impact that I brought Articulation in to help my entire team. I anticipate my copy of the book will be dog-eared and a staple in my speaking tool kit for many years to come.” —Dennis Garbarino SVP and GM Global Downstream Nalco Water, an Ecolab Company

“My coaching from Articulation dramatically changed my entire approach to practicing and presenting my science and making it accessible to any audience. I brought them into my institution, excited for my colleagues to learn the same impactful skills. It’s a delight to see so much of their experience now accessible to everyone through this book and these concepts—in the same way we’ve been enjoying it for the last decade.” —Lara McKenzie, PhD, MA, FAAHB, Principal Investigator Center for Injury Research & Policy, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children’s Hospital

“Practical and endlessly engaging, reading The Motivated Speaker felt like being coached by a team of the most compassionate and insightful mentors in the field. The authors have accomplished something remarkable: they’ve distilled the challenges and joys of public speaking into six transformative concepts that anyone can grasp and apply.” —David Staley, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of History, The Ohio State University

“I reached a point in my career when I realized that continued growth was not just about being an expert in my domain, but also my ability to compel others to believe in an idea, strategy, vision, opportunity. Working with Ruth on the principles outlined in this book not only helped turn my words into ideas worth telling, but her insight moved my words from just being heard to being remembered.” —Stephanie Domas, Speaker, Author, and Chief Information Security Officer, Canonical

“This book is a must-read for anyone looking to conquer the public speaking stage—whether you’re a rookie finding your voice or a seasoned speaker who’s maybe just a little too confident (like I was before working with these amazing authors). Packed with sharp insights and practical tips, it’s a fast track to unlocking your full potential and truly owning the spotlight.” —Tim Raderstorf, DNP, RN, FAAN, President, Raderstorf Consulting

“Accessible to both novice and experienced speakers alike, The Motivated Speaker clearly and succinctly highlights what makes speaking before an audience a challenging yet rewarding adventure. It delineates the individual elements of preparing and presenting speeches and offers practical advice to increase one’s aptitude and influence. The text is punctuated with scores of authentic examples of the troubles and triumphs experienced by speakers. Short of taking a college course in public speaking, this book will get you closer to your speaking goals.” —Paul Mongeau, PhD, Professor, Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, Arizona State University

“Having worked and collaborated with the Articulation team for nearly two decades, I continue to be blown away by their versatility, creativity, and relentless spirit of innovation. The art of communication is ephemeral and ever shape-shifting. This book offers a needed road map for anyone navigating today’s communications.” —Laurie Kamerer, Former VP of Communications, Victoria's Secret

“An engaging, accessible, and informative look at what it takes to be an effective speaker—so relevant as we seek to retain human communication and connection in a world increasingly driven by technology. The stories ‘from the trenches,’ culled from the authors’ years of experience, bring the concepts alive and help ground the reader’s understanding. If you’re interested in delivering better, more compelling presentations, The Motivated Speaker is a must-have resource.” —Betsy Allen, Writer, Editor, and English Instructor, James Madison University

“Ruth and her team have proven that you can learn to be a great speaker no matter when you start in your career. This book gives you a front row seat to how they draw the best out of anyone wanting to be an impactful communicator.” —Edward O’Reilly, Partner, Citadel

“The Motivated Speaker, which realigns the mindsets and practices of becoming a great communicator, should be required reading for any speaker. I’ll put it on my shelf between Dale Carnegie and Chris Anderson. I can also celebrate the origin of this work on our campus from a chance connection between Dr. Wardle and the authors, two of whom are enthusiastic alums. For all of them and this brilliant manuscript, I can only add a resounding … love and honor!” —Mackenzie Rice, President, Miami University Foundation

“While I wish I had this book for the younger me, it couldn’t be more relevant and useful. With less time than ever to convey ideas and responses or make connections, these threshold concepts are essential for any speaker.” —Geraldine Weiser, Executive Director Client Solutions and Programs, Global Corporate College

“Working with Ruth and her team at Articulation to prepare for a TEDx event transformed the way I approach public speaking. They helped me distill my core message, ensuring it would resonate with the audience. Together, we restructured the presentation into a compelling narrative that made the message more impactful from my opening breath until I exhaled to the sounds of the audience clapping wildly. My time with Articulation not only changed the most important speech of my life that day but every speech that followed.” —Larry Smith, Author, Speaker, and Founder of The Six-Word Memoir Project

“In my role, I invite physicians, scientists, and scholars to translate their leading-edge work to broad audiences of potential supporters and advocates. I’ve been a longtime client and champion of Articulation’s work in helping with this effort, and this book allows me to keep their thinking and counsel at close reach.” —Patty Hill-Callahan, VP for Advancement Mount Saint Mary’s University

“This is a powerful and brilliant guide for all who seek to communicate and be communicators. Effective speaking is not necessarily natural—just like anything of substance, it is a craft to be honed through habit and intention. The authors have created a framework from their extensive experiences that should be read and re-read.” —J. Nwando Olayiwola, MD, MPH, Physician, Author, and Speaker, Senior Vice President, Advocate Health