Boardroom Metrics team of business writers is in the United States, Canada and Europe. It writes and edits RFP responses, business articles and public speeches for public, private and not-for-profit clients in a wide range of industries.

You are the leader of your organization. Yes, your vision is crystal clear to you. You seek every opportunity to communicate it to your team, stakeholders and partners. Your goal is to inspire and engage them. Your desired outcome: make them champions of your organizational ‘reason for being’ and have them spread the word on your behalf!

Ask yourself: are you using powerful speaking tools in achieving those two goals?

Uncertain? Well then, do a self-check.

Let’s begin:

a) Is the theme of your vision inclusive of your audience’s living aspirations, values and dreams?

As examples: Winston Churchill’s “We Shall Never Surrender!”; Martin Luther King’s “Join Hands With Me And Walk Down Pennsylvania Avenue And Sing that Old Negro Spiritual ‘Free At Last!”; and Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s “My Canada Includes Quebec!”

b) Do your vision speech’s opening remarks include the following words:  “Together, you and I will…”.

c) Do your vision speech’s opening remarks ask your listeners to commit to carrying out a specific action as a result of them listening to your vision speech?

Examples include:  “I ask you today to….” or  “Do you accept my challenge today to… “?

d) Do you ‘direct’ your listeners by using action words just as every great coach does?

As an example:  “Don’t ask what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country!” John F. Kennedy

e) Do you conclude your spell-binding vision speech (5 minutes) with the time-honoured technique of restating your question of commitment (see item C above) and insisting on an immediate response?

Examples include:  “So I ask you once again, will you… ” or  “Let me hear it now: can I count on you to…?”

If yes, then you are a PRO.  Congratulations!

If not,  is it time for your vision speech make-over?