The craft of professional communication
The Speaking Guild studies exceptional communication, identifies the principles behind it, and transforms those discoveries into practical frameworks professionals can use.
An institution for the craft
We study what works, test the principles, and turn those discoveries into practical frameworks professionals can use.
Guild Studies
Guild Study
A Communication Forensics analysis of how Martin Luther King Jr. used evolving refrains, moral contrast, audience-responsive cadence, and a widening vision to turn repetition into momentum.
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Guild Study
A Communication Forensics analysis of how Tony Robbins used an open question, escalating answers, live audience interaction, contrast, and personal story to sustain attention at TED2006.
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Guild Study
A Communication Forensics analysis of how Barack Obama used biography, parallel language, audience recognition, and an expanding idea of shared identity in his 2004 Democratic National Convention keynote.
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Guild Study
A Communication Forensics analysis of how Brené Brown combined research, humor, staged disclosure, and personal contradiction to make vulnerability understandable and memorable.
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Guild Study
A Communication Forensics analysis of how Steve Jobs used three personal stories, escalating stakes, and a borrowed closing phrase to build one enduring message at Stanford’s 2005 commencement.
View analysis →Guild Fellows
Professionals whose work advances communication through insight, teaching, and practice.
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Professional Resources
Guides, checklists, planners, and templates created for preparation and practice.
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Guild Resource
Practice before the audience is real These 360-degree videos place you in front of audiences with different reactions. Use them to rehearse while your attention is divided between your message, your delivery, and the room in front of you. A VR headset can make the experience more immersive, but a phone, tablet, or ordinary screen […]
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Guild Resource
A practical checklist for coordinating, testing, and protecting the technical environment of an in-person, recorded, streamed, or hybrid presentation.
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Guild Resource
A practical guide for noticing personal stories, preserving them in a searchable collection, and uncovering possible meaning without forcing a lesson.
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Guild Resource
Natural, adaptable language for helping an audience hear how one idea relates to the next.
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Guild Resource
A concise final-readiness check for protecting the purpose, route, timing, technology, and delivery of an important presentation.
View resource →Work With the Guild
Start with the communication challenge. The Guild develops focused briefings, workshops, and speaking support for organizations, professional teams, and event audiences.
Explore Professional Services →Great speakers aren’t born. They’re understood, analyzed, and built with intention.
Jeremy Ross — Founder, The Speaking Guild
The Journal
The Journal
It’s a tough moment when you decide to take your speaking seriously. You already know how to stand in front of people. You’ve led meetings. Run workshops. Trained teams. Maybe even keynoted a conference or two. But the minute you try to turn that into a “speaking business,” everything suddenly feels very official. Websites. Videos. […]
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The Journal
The most crucial moment of a public presentation is the first 3 minutes. Not only do psychologists say that people can judge you within 7 seconds of meeting you, but your introduction sets the tone and can help you settle your nerves. So it’s obviously very important to get the best response from the room […]
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The Journal
Have you ever been driving and realized you can't remember how you got there? "Highway Hypnosis" can happen to our audience even when we're doing a great job. By using the power of repetition, we can keep our audience on track and give our presentation forward momentum.
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