While many industries require drastically different strategies and approaches, there are some skills that transcend all professional boundaries. Effective communication, particularly public speaking, is one of those universal skills.

I’ve seen this clearly over the last week as I've had the privilege to be with a variety of audiences, ranging from real estate professionals in Seattle to United States military leaders. Yesterday I was in my hometown with educators at a local school.

At the end of my talk, during a Question and Answer session, I was asked something that had nothing to do with my talk, but everyone could relate to: How do I become a better public speaker?

Speaking is what I do, not often something I specifically talk about. I leave that to the professionals like my friend Eva Rose Daniel.

That said, I know this to be true:

Effective leaders are effective communicators.

Harvard Business Review research shows the number one criteria for advancement and promotion for professionals is an ability to communicate effectively.

Right after college I worked for a United States Congressman. One of my first days on the job, he handed me a cassette tape and told me to listen to it. (Fortunately, my car at the time was older, so I was still able to play cassettes!)

The tape was a recording by James Humes, a speechwriter for nine US presidents, who developed the Sir Winston Method, based on the communication strategies of Winston Churchill. His approach has shaped my speaking ever since.

His five secrets are reproduced below, with some slight tweaks and context added by me:  

1. Start Strong: Every speech should begin with a “hook”, or attention-getter, to grab the attention of the audience. Whether utilizing a question, a startling statement, a quotation, a personal anecdote, a reference to the occasion, humor, or some other technique, a speaker should immediately involve the audience before revealing the thesis of the presentation.

For instance, Winston Churchill began his address to the House of Commons when he became prime minister with one of his most famous lines: “I have nothing to offer but blood, tears, toil, and sweat.” And when he came to the United States to address Congress in 1941, humor was his tool: “I can’t help but reflect that if my father had been American and my mother English instead of the other way around, I might have got here on my own.”

2. One Theme: After the hook, and before previewing major sub-points of the speech, the speaker should reveal the thesis, or theme, to be developed. Major sub-points within the body of the speech should all support the thesis, which should be referenced again in the conclusion of the speech.

Churchill once compared a speech to Beethoven’s 5th symphony: “A speech is like a symphony. It can have three movements, but it must have one dominant melody: dot, dot, dot…dah”.

3. Simple Language: By using active rather than passive voice, choosing short words, and avoiding jargon, speakers can make their message more comprehensible and more memorable.

After the Nazi conquest of France in World War II, Churchill impressed the world with his simple, yet direct, words: “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.” This instead of “Hostilities will be engaged on the coastal perimeter . . .”

4. Vivid Imagery: Imagery is a critical tool for any effective speaker; philosophical concepts must “come alive” if they are to be retained by the audience.

Churchill was a master of this technique. Whether referring to Italy as “the soft underbelly of Europe,” to an appeaser in the House of Commons as “one who feeds the crocodile hoping it will eat him last,” or to Soviet dominance in Eastern Europe as “an iron curtain,” he knew how to paint effective pictures in the minds of his listeners.

5. End with Emotion: It may be pride, hope, love, or patriotism, but exhibiting sincere emotion can help “seal the deal” at the conclusion of a speech.

The conclusion to one of Churchill’s most memorable speeches produced one of his most memorable phrases, as he demonstrated his pride in the British people: “Let us…brace ourselves to our duties and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say: ‘This was their finest hour.’"

I’ll leave you with this: whether or not you love public speaking, it’s a skill everyone should work on. Late United States President Gerald Ford once said, “If I went back to college again, I’d concentrate on two areas: learning to write and to speak before an audience. Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively.”

The roles you have make a difference, and your ability to communicate effectively can determine your impact as a leader. I'd encourage you to level up your speaking ability to accomplish your goals and inspire those around you. After all, the most influential leaders throughout history have been those who could not only envision a better future but also articulate that vision in a way that moved others to action.

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In my travels speaking to organizations across the globe, I've noticed a common thread emerging from conversations with both seasoned executives and emerging leaders: the challenge of maintaining optimism while facing harsh realities.

A Gallup study released this month puts hard data behind what many of us have intuitively known - when asked what they need most from their leaders, followers overwhelmingly point to one thing: hope.

Some have a tendency to scoff at that. We’ve all heard that “hope isn’t a strategy.”

It’s true that hope alone isn't enough.

But neither is a myopic focus on the current reality. The magic happens when we balance both: a candid assessment of reality with a hopefully vision for a brighter future.

Consider what either looks like in isolation:

Hope without Reality:

When hope isn't anchored in reality, it becomes nothing more than wishful thinking - fluffy, abstract, and ultimately unattainable. I've seen countless leaders lose credibility by painting rosy pictures that their teams could see right through. It's like building a house on sand; it might look beautiful for a moment, but it won't stand the test of time.

Reality without Hope:

A relentless focus on reality without any glimpse of hope is equally dangerous. I recently spoke with a middle manager whose leader prided himself on "telling it like it is." The result? A team discouraged, discontent, and disconnected from their work and each other. Reality without hope isn't leadership - it's a slow march to defeat.

The most effective leaders I've worked with acknowledge current challenges with unflinching honesty while simultaneously illuminating the path forward. They understand that hope isn't about denying reality - it's about seeing beyond reality to the possibilities and potential that lies ahead.

Here's what this looks like in practice for great leaders:

• When sharing difficult news, they pair it with specific, actionable steps forward
• They celebrate small wins while maintaining focus on larger challenges
• They create space for both authentic concern and genuine optimism
• They ground future possibilities in present capabilities

The next time you face a challenging situation with your team, remember: your job isn't to choose between hope and reality. It's to hold them both in balance, showing your people that the path forward runs straight through the middle of these seemingly opposing forces.

Because at its core, leadership isn't about making people feel good or making them face facts.

Great leaders help people get from where they are to where they need to be.

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Last week was a banner week for our business.

ADDO hosted business leaders at the Inside Out Business Collective in Atlanta, and I launched an updated website: www.KevinPaulScott.com

Both of these are examples of some things I challenged myself to do in the last year. When I turned 40 last year, one of my goals was to remain relevant.

Understand this:

Relevance isn’t about chasing trends, but standing the test of time.

I made a decision that I didn’t want to look back and believe that my greatest impact was behind me. This is easier said than done, because it’s tough to fight the gravitational pull to the past.

I prefer things that are familiar.
I like the music from when I was growing up.
I want to show my kids the movies from my childhood.

None of those are inherently bad. However, if left unchecked, I could quickly become someone who spends the majority of their time wanting to go back to the good old days.

To combat that tendency, here are three commitments I made to myself:

1. I don’t want to be an expert in what used to work.
There’s tremendous value in mastering your craft. It’s helpful to be at the top of your game. But things are changing. Technology is advancing, methods are evolving, and the landscape is adjusting. If I decide I’m unwilling to change, I need to be content with limiting my impact.

2. I want to be curious and not a critic.
Every person you meet knows something that you don’t know. Each one has something to offer. I don’t have to like everything, but I want to start from a position of curiosity and a willingness to learn.

I’m not advocating to chase every trend, but don’t dismiss something just because it’s different.

3. I want to be willing to make bold asks.
When I was in my early twenties, I had endless optimism, a lot of chutzpah, and no fear of rejection. At our first ADDO Gathering we invited a sitting US Senator and a Hall of Fame Football Coach to speak. As I get older, I didn’t want to be embarrassed so I was hesitant to ask. Last week, we had some of the top business leaders in America because our team was unafraid to ask.

So today I’m celebrating these two milestones because they are outward sign that I’m keeping the inward commitment I made last year.

My hope for you is that you’ll make the same decision to keep moving forward. What you do matters. And the world needs you--- not only for what you’ve done in the past, but for what you’re going to do in the future.

Decide today that you’ll look ahead to solve the problems of today, choose to be curious, and have a willingness to risk rejection in the pursuit of purpose.

I’ll be cheering you on!

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I was a little hesitant to share, because none of this seems groundbreaking. But, interestingly, this seemed to resonate. I heard from several of you how these simple truths were valuable. Over the next four weeks, I want to take a deeper dive on each of those four topics: Humility, Alignment, Trust, and Communication. At our company retreat, Anna Brimer on our team helped us tackle Humility. I love the way she addressed a common misconception about humility: people often think that humility and confidence cannot coexist. She shared that arrogance is a by-product of pride and that confidence is a by-product of humility.

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When it comes to team synergy, each of us individually has to walk with humility in order to produce a collective benefit for every single person who comes in contact with each of us, our work, and our brand. Anna identified three major roadblocks to humility that I believe every leader needs to address:

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‍1. Humility cannot exist where offense operates.
‍Each person on the team must give others the benefit of the doubt and assume good intentions. In our organization, when someone approaches me with a concern, I remind myself: this isn’t about defending my position; it’s about understanding their perspective. Our ability to look past the circumstance at hand and see the person creates an atmosphere of trust. This means we have the best interest of others at heart in conversations and actions, and trust that others are doing the same for us.

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‍2. Humility cannot exist where jealousy festers.
‍I've seen talented teams implode not because they lacked skill, but because they couldn't celebrate each other's successes. True humility calls out the potential in one another and invites us to help where we can for people to reach that potential. Even if it means that someone else surpasses us. This means we are humbly confident in ourselves and what we are called to do, and we work toward helping other people to do the same.

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‍3. Humility cannot exist where passiveness presides.Real humility isn't about being a doormat; it's about having the courage to have difficult conversations and welcome feedback. Some of my greatest growth moments came when team members cared enough to challenge me.[highlight]This means that we take responsibility for my mistakes, that we welcome feedback to grow, and we are eager to learn. T.S. Eliot said it perfectly: "Humility is the most difficult of all virtues to achieve; nothing dies harder than the desire to think well of oneself."Anna’s challenge to us is my challenge to you this week: Take an honest self-audit. Ask yourself:

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• Do I believe the best in others, or am I quick to take offense?
• Do I genuinely want others to succeed, or do I feel threatened by their success?
• Do I hold high expectations for others, or do I let mediocrity slide to avoid conflict?

Your answers might make you uncomfortable. That's good. Growth starts at the edge of comfort.Remember, humility isn't about thinking less of yourself – it's about thinking of yourself less. When every team member embraces this mindset, synergy isn't just possible; it's inevitable.

We had a great time, although it was cut short due to snow in Georgia.Our theme this year was Success Through Synergy. I was struck by how an ancient principle (and a 1990’s business buzzword) really resonated as a strategy for 2025. Let’s go back. Way back. In the New Testament, "sunergos" described those who worked side-by-side in ministry, united by a common purpose greater than themselves. This wasn't just about showing up and doing your part – it was about a deep, intentional partnership that multiplied impact. The key is multiplication.

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When people are working synergistically, the result is 1 + 1 = More than 2.

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As Stephen Covey wisely noted, "Synergy is not the same as compromise. In a compromise, one plus one equals one and a half at best." True synergy doesn't diminish – it multiplies. It's the difference between a group of talented individuals working independently and a unified team creating breakthrough solutions no one could have developed alone.In my work with various organizations, I've observed that genuine synergy rests on four essential pillars:‍

1. Trust is the foundation. When team members know they can depend on each other, take risks without fear, and speak openly, they stop holding back their best ideas and efforts. Trust creates the safety needed for innovation and excellence to flourish.

‍2. Humility makes space for others' strengths. The most effective leaders I've worked with understand that they don't have all the answers. They actively seek out diverse perspectives and create environments where every team member can contribute their unique talents.

‍3. Alignment gives synergy direction. Just as those early Christian partners were unified in their mission, today's teams need a compelling shared purpose. When everyone understands and believes in where they're going, individual efforts naturally complement rather than compete.

‍4. Communication breathes life into the other elements. Regular, honest dialogue builds trust, demonstrates humility, and reinforces alignment. But it must go beyond surface-level updates to include the tough conversations that clear obstacles and strengthen relationships.

The ancient Greeks and early Christian communities understood something vital about human collaboration that many modern organizations are rediscovering: when people truly work together, united by purpose and guided by these principles, they can achieve what seemed impossible alone.

Remember, just as "sunergos" meant more than mere cooperation in ancient times, true synergy today requires more than putting talented people in the same room. It demands intentional leadership that creates the conditions for multiplication rather than addition. When you get it right, the results will speak for themselves.

During the last couple of weeks, between Christmas and New Years, things slowed down. I answered some emails and had a few calls, but a lot of work was put on pause.Then Monday rolled around and everything started spinning back up. The early December emailers circled back, and everything collided... at the same time.The worst part? The problems started piling up."We are having some trouble with the system and need some help.""Our CEO has an issue with that date, can we find another time?""The program we've been working on needs to be ready two weeks earlier."And this is just at work.Wouldn't life be easier if we had less problems? Here's a newsflash:

Less problems might make your life easier, but it would mean your role is less necessary

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The role of the leader is to solve problems. So, if you're dealing with challenges, you're in good company. That means the world needs you.I've always loved this reminder from Colin Powell, "The day the soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.”When people are bringing you problems, it means 3 things:

1. They trust you: When someone shares a challenge, it shows they believe in your ability to solve it. Solving doesn’t always mean fixing, but they trust you to guide them through difficult situations. They've seen your track record of turning obstacles into opportunities.
2. They respect you: People don't share problems with those they don't hold in high regard. When someone knows a leader has wisdom, they seek out your insights and judgment to offer sound advice.
3. They believe you care: Sharing problems requires emotional risk - someone knows you'll listen with empathy and work alongside them to find solutions. Past experience has helped someone see and experience your genuine concern for their success.
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I hope your new year is off to a great start. In 2025, I'm not actually praying for you to have less problems; I'm praying you'll put those problems into perspective and use your God-given abilities to make this world a better place.

This time is special because, although I see these friends individually throughout the year, we’re rarely all in the same room. This is a group that pushes me to grow. Each year, as a part of our time together, the host asks us to come prepared to answer a few questions.

The first question is one that Ralph Waldo Emerson was famous for greeting his friends with: “What has become clear to you since we last met?”

Emerson’s intent was an invitation and challenge to his friends and guests to assess the progress of their thinking.

As we prepare to launch into this new year, many of you are making resolutions and setting new goals. But one thing I’d challenge each of you to do this year is to ask the right questions. The right questions cause us to think differently, they change our perspective, and they just might change our lives.

Here are a few to consider:

• What do you value, and are you true to your values?
• What should you be doing that you aren’t doing right now?
• What do you wish you knew that you don’t know?
• When was the last time you set a big goal?
• What have you learned lately?
• If you weren’t afraid to fail, what would you try?
• If you knew you only had a certain number of days to live, what would you do differently?
• What fear, belief, or habit is limiting you from living like that today?
• How have you grown in character this year?
• Who could you count on if you really needed somebody?
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I also love the question that Martin Luther King Jr. encouraged us to ask, when he said: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is ‘What are you doing for others?'”

If you want different results in 2025, a good place to start is by asking the right questions.

Not just optimism.

Not just positive thinking.

But real, transformative hope that cuts through the darkness like a beacon of light. The kind of hope that doesn't just make us feel better, but fundamentally changes how we see our circumstances. A hope that’s not based on some remote possibility, but rooted in a faith of something that exists but is not yet seen.

In Hebrew, the word for hope - "tikvah" - carries a deeper meaning than our conventional understanding. More than just wishful thinking, tikvah represents a confident expectation, a cord of connection that anchors us when everything else seems uncertain. It's derived from the root word "kavah," which literally means "to wait" or "to expect" - suggesting that hope is not passive, but an active, purposeful stance.

There’s a line in the song "Oh Holy Night” that I absolutely love: A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices.

‍But that hope, the kind that makes the weary rejoice, follows a phrase that captures the human condition that made the world weary: Long lay the world in sin and error pining.

‍Pining. It's an old word that means to suffer a mental and physical decline, especially because of a broken heart. Sounds a lot like discouragement, doesn't it? It's that soul-deep weariness where hope feels distant and the weight of the world seems unbearable.

But here's the profound truth of Christmas:

Hope doesn't emerge from perfect circumstances. It arrives in the midst of darkness.

Just as tikvah suggests waiting with expectation, hope is about holding onto possibility even when nothing seems to change.

Think about the original Christmas story. A young couple, far from home, with no place to stay. No comfort. No certainty. Just a promise and an unexpected miracle. Hope didn't come to people who had it all figured out. It came to those who were waiting, struggling, wondering.

The biblical prophecy in Isaiah captures this beautifully: "For to us a child is born... and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Notice something remarkable? Hope arrives as a child. Not as a conquering warrior. Not as a fully formed leader. But as something vulnerable, something that requires nurturing, something that represents pure potential.

Hope isn't about having all the answers and knowing exactly how everything works. It's about believing in possibility even when the path isn't clear. It's about maintaining hope not because everything is perfect, but because you believe transformation is always possible.

This Christmas, if you're feeling discouraged, remember:

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Hope isn't about the absence of difficulty. It's about the presence of possibility.

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Your weary heart is the very soil where hope can take root.

However, it needs to be modernized. As we dissected the product's history, I realized I needed to carefully guard against dwelling too much on the past.

When we are stuck in the past we tend to drift toward one of two ends: cynicism or sentimentality.

Cynicism emerges like a hard shell built from repeated disappointments. It's the voice that whispers “You've seen it all” and tells you “Nothing will ever change.” You stop believing in promises, in people, in possibilities. Your experiences become a prison of lowered expectations. While a measured skepticism can protect you, cynicism transforms you from a potential creator into a bitter spectator.

Sentimentality is cynicism's deceptive counterpart. It's the soft, nostalgic lens that makes the “good ole days” shimmer with an impossible perfection. You romanticize previous times, convinced that nothing in the present could ever measure up. This emotional indulgence might feel comfortable, but it's a quicksand that immobilizes your forward momentum.

When we focus on the past, it’s easy to drift toward either of these two extremes.

The real skill is learning from the past but looking expectantly toward the future.

Easier said than done, right?

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Here are a few practical steps to make this happen:

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‍1. Embrace curiosity over criticism: Instead of defaulting to "We've tried this before" or "It will never work," approach each new opportunity with genuine openness. Make your default stance "What can we learn?" rather than "Nothing will change."

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‍2. Maintain institutional memory without becoming imprisoned by it:

Great leaders honor past successes and failures as wisdom repositories, not as unchangeable verdicts.

They'll reference historical context to provide perspective, but never as a reason to avoid innovation. They understand that past achievements are launching pads, not destinations.

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‍3. Cultivate an adaptive mindset: The best leaders build teams and cultures that view change not as a threat, but as an opportunity. They model flexibility, demonstrate resilience, and create environments where innovation can flourish without the drag of past limitations.

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‍4. Balance nostalgia with strategic vision: Where a sentimental leader might long for "how things used to be," a true leader recognizes that every era has its unique potential. They celebrate the organization's heritage while simultaneously being excited about its future possibilities.

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Cynicism says, "It can't be done." Sentimentality says, "It was better before." Great leadership says, "Let's make tomorrow better than today."