Monthly Archives: March 2015
Testifying Before Congress: How to Draft Your Oral Statement
Welcome back to this series of excerpts from my new research report Thrill on the Hill: How to Turn Congressional Testimony into Public Policy Success. Stay tuned for more in weeks to come. ———————– Once upon a time, I led the communications shop at a large national association. Upon arriving, I noticed that our oral […]
News Flash!!! Exclamation Points Do Not Make You a Better Writer!!!
Writing is a tricky craft, one that is cultivated slowly and carefully over many years (with lots of bad prose along the way, to be sure). There are many paths to improvement. Join a writer’s circle. Send drafts of your material to trusted peers. Attend a writing workshop. Or, best of all I’m convinced, make […]
Capitol Hill: How Your Oral Statement Differs from the Written Testimony
Welcome back to this series of excerpts from my new research report Thrill on the Hill: How to Turn Congressional Testimony into Public Policy Success. Stay tuned for more in weeks to come. ————————- The oral statement you deliver and the formal, written testimony you submit are two different animals. Here’s how I explain it […]
Avoiding Intimidation of Congressional Witnesses
Welcome back to this series of excerpts from my new research report Thrill on the Hill: How to Turn Congressional Testimony into Public Policy Success. Stay tuned for more in weeks to come. ——————————- As noted in a previous post, it is vital to deliver your message compellingly yet politely. One of the keys to […]
FAQ: Who needs communications training?
Throughout the course of 2015 I’ll be taking a crack at answering some of the questions I hear most frequently from clients (and prospective clients). Some of these posts will cover basic issues. Others will examine specific angles. The responses are designed to be rapid fire. Today, let’s deal with the question, “Who needs communications […]
How Witnesses Can Deliver Their Message Forcefully
Welcome back to this series of excerpts from my new research report Thrill on the Hill: How to Turn Congressional Testimony into Public Policy Success. Stay tuned for more in weeks to come. ————————- Actually, Congressional testimony is more nuanced than just delivering a message forcefully. While that is important, exhibiting deference to members of […]
What Traits Do Successful Congressional Witnesses Share?
This is the first in a series of excerpts from my new research report Thrill on the Hill: How to Turn Congressional Testimony into Public Policy Success. Stay tuned for more in weeks to come. ——————— If you were to quiz a group of corporate executives on what makes for an effective CEO, you’d likely […]
C-suite Blueprint 
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