Your resume lists what you've done.
Your voice shows who you are.
That's what makes people follow.

📌 IN THIS ISSUE:

• • The story that makes people trust you instantly
  • Why smart leaders still get ignored
  • How to stand out online (without the shouting)
  • Position yourself as the obvious choice
  • Make your message land, stick and sell

The Moment I Realised Slides Don't Save You

When I work with C-suite leaders, it's always the same story.

They're brilliant. Respected. Elevated to a level where people want to hear what they say - whether they're speaking on behalf of the company, the industry, or themselves.

But here's the problem: 

They have no idea how to deliver in person.

Even at the top, they're still human.

Stage fright. Imposter syndrome.
They second-guess their content.
They worry about being judged by the organisers, the audience, even their own teams.

And worst of all? No one around them knows how to help.

One exec at BP was about to give a high-stakes presentation - staff, stakeholders, suppliers - all eyes on him.

His team gave him a script, but it was a press release.

Long blocks of text. Big, clunky words.

Even I struggled to read it without tripping up.

He felt demoralised. Out of his depth.

The clock was ticking. 

So I stepped in. Here's what I changed:

✅ I turned the paragraphs into bullet points
✅ Replaced the jargon with human words
✅ Asked what he actually wanted to say
✅ Then rebuilt the entire talk with a beginning, middle, interactive moments, and a strong close.

Same message.Different delivery.

But now it sounded like him.

More than that, it felt like a show.

Because speaking on stage is karaoke.
You don't have to be the best singer.
But when you perform a song like it's yours, people believe you wrote it.
If they don't know the lyrics, they just enjoy the vibe.
And if you hit the right feeling, they'll clap like you're a rockstar. 

That's how it works with public speaking.

Your keynote becomes a spoken word concert.

And the room? They're already your fans - they're just waiting for you to show up.

And here's the kicker...

Before you even reach the mic, something changes.
You carry yourself differently.
You feel excited, not scared.
You stand taller.
You speak with more intention in every room you walk into.
And your confidence? It spills into every part of your business and life.

Every time I've worked with a client on a big presentation, the result is the same.

They don't just nail it.

They leave with new confidence, bigger connections, and life-changing momentum - before they even reach the mic.

🧠 ICON INSIGHT: A world-class messages doesn't come from adding more slides. It comes from removing the noise and unleashing your voice.

Why Most Leaders are Invisible When It Counts

Let's be honest.

Most leaders are terrible at speaking.

Not because they're not smart.

But because they've lived in a bubble of polite clapping for years.

Their audience?

Usually their own staff.

And staff don't tell the emperor he has no clothes.

They nod. They smile. They applaud.

Because challenging the boss risks their job.

So the leader thinks they're doing fine.

Until they step onto a real stage -
And the room goes cold.

No claps. No smiles.
Just polite silence.
And no idea what went wrong.

Here's why:

Most CEOs don't rise because they're great communicators.
They rise because they're great collaborators.
They keep the board happy.
They manage departments.
They know the system.

But right now, that's not enough.

AI is changing the rules.
Fast.

Tasks are vanishing. Teams are shrinking.

McKinsey laid off 5,000 consultants.
Not because of bad performance -
Because an algorithm can do the job faster.

In this new world, your job is no longer just to lead.
It's to inspire.
To amplify.
To become the signal people trust when the noise gets louder.

And that's where most leaders fail.

Because no one ever taught them how to do it.

Once upon a time, only a few people got to speak on big stages.

TV anchors. Politicians. Industry titans.

They were picked.
Groomed.
Edited.

But now? 

Anyone can go live.
Anyone can steal the spotlight.

That's the problem - and the opportunity.

If you can speak with clarity, presence, and power, you can take up real estate in your industry.

You can own your own niche.
You become the face people follow when change hits.

And if you can't?

You disappear.

Here's what's wild:

Most of a country's economic growth comes from small to medium businesses.

These businesses are agile. They adapt fast.

And they follow the voices they trust.

So, as a CEO, if you want to lead in this new era, you don't just need a title.

You need a voice.
You need a story.
You need a presence that moves people into action.

That's not fluff.
That's equity.

And here's a stat that'll blow your mind:

CEOs who can speak powerfully about their brand can add up to 20% more value to their company, just by showing up and being great onstage.

Why? 

Because people invest in people.

If they like you, they trust your business.
If they trust your business, they open their wallets.

So ask yourself:

What's costing you to wait?
To hope communication become less important? 
To pray visibility fades back into the background?

It won't.

It's not public speaking that disappears.

It's you.

The World Doesn't Need More Managers. 
It Needs More Leaders Who Can Be Heard.

This is why you're here.

Over the next 12 to 24 months, everything will change again.
And again.
And again.

AI isn't slowing down.

With ChatGPt, Claude, Meta, Grok, and every major player locked in an arms race - the tools are evolving at breakneck speed.

And that creates a ripple effect in your business.

You can't plan five years ahead anymore.
You can't even build a team and expect it to stay the same.

Everything is fluid. And if you don't evolve with it, you'll get left behind.

That's the harsh truth.

So what does that mean for you?

It means your voice matters more than ever.

You need to convince your shareholders, your clients, your staff - and yourself - that you can lead through chaos.

That you can see the future faster.
That you can adapt while still inspiring trust.

And that takes a new skill set.

You can't be just a strategist.

You need to be a cheerleader.
A therapist.
A hypnotist.
A motivational speaker.
A partner.
A parent.
A friend.

None of those are in your job description - but they will define your ability to lead.

Because the world doesn'tt follow the loudest leader.
It follows the clearest one.

You have to be ready to lead even when you feel uncomfortable.

To speak with clarity when everything around you is foggy.
To get dropped into any battle, take charge, and pull your people through it.

You're here because you know how leadership has changed.

It's no longer about control.
It's about connection.
It's not about having all the answers.
It's about being the one they trust when no one else does.

You're not just a manager in a meeting.
You're the signal people follow in a storm.

That's what makes you an icon.

And that's what we build here.

🧠 ICON INSIGHT: You don't need to go viral. You need to become unforgettable to the people who matter.

How One Man's Miracles Became His Keynote

Over coffee in Dubai, while preparing for a global summit where we were both speaking, I sat with a man whose story still gives me the chills. 

He's a high-level envoy connected to some of the world's most influential gatherings, including strategic initiatives hosted at the Vatican. A scientist, doctor, professor, film director and ex-special forces operative, he moves in rooms most people will never get to see, guiding decisions that shape nations, faith and business.

During that coffee, he shared with me three experiences that he simply called "miracles".

One: He survived terminal cancer after doctors said there was no hope.
Two: He fell from a military aircraft during a special forces operation. His parachute failed. He broke his legs. But he lived.
Three: He was trapped in an underwater cave. No light. No oxygen. No backup. And somehow, he escaped.

Each time, he made a decision that saved his life.

But there's something more.

You can call it divine intervention, destiny, or a rare kind of resilience.. but when it happens three times, you can't ignore it.

I told him straight.

"That's not just a powerful story. That's your keynote."

These weren't just ideas from a branding workshop.

There were real.
Raw.
Human.

When he told with heart, they become unforgettable.

That keynote now moves presidents, sheikhs, spiritual leaders, and industry titans.

Not because it's business-focused, but because it's personal.

It shows courage. It shows truth.
And it inspires people to trust him, follow him, and work with him. 

That's the power of a signature message.

When you find yours, people no longer guess what you do.
They know who you are.
They see the value.
And they carry your message into rooms you haven't entered yet.

🧠 ICON INSIGHT:  You don't need 100 stories. You just need the right one, told the right way, to the right people.

How to Position Yourself in Front of Any Audience

If you want to lead, sell, inspire, or influence - it all comes down to how you show up in front of the room.

Here are three powerful positioning questions to start with:

1. 1. What is the one story that defines you - and how do you adapt to fit every room?
   2. What does your audience want - and what would make them trust you faster?
   3. What action do you want them to take - and have you actually told them what it is?

Most speakers miss the final one. They pour their soul into the talk... and then give the audience nowhere to go.

Don't let that be you.

🧠 ICON TIP: If you don't offer a clear next step, your audience will give all that energy and goodwill to the next person who does.

Want the full tactical sheet?
It includes audience analysis templates, content format pivots, and visibility strategies that get results.