How much does your career success depend on your ability to influence other people? Do you lead a team? Are you responsible for teaching others a process or best practice? Do you need to convince a committee to fund your project? Do you often report on the outcome of a customer visit, software deployment or marketing campaign to a group of stakeholders? Are you speaking at a trade show or conference, like IBM TechXchange 2025? 

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then you have good reasons to level up your public speaking skills. And I have great news. IBM TechXchange is providing you with a chance to learn the time-honored tips and tricks of being an effective public speaker.

Many people who are just fine at one-to-one conversations, freeze up when confronted with a group. Fear of judgment, of being vulnerable, of being rejected or perceived a failure are deep-seated anxieties that can take us back to terrifying childhood experiences. But guess what? Public speaking effectiveness is a skill that can be learned. By anyone.

Be inspired by the greatest of Greek orators, Demosthenes, who had such a speech impediment as a young man that no one could understand him. Determined to improve his communication skills, he went down to the beach, put a handful of pebbles in his mouth and shouted his speech over the roar of the waves. He also practiced facial expressions and gestures in front of the mirror and gradually taught himself how to command attention.

We can help you command attention without rocks in your mouth (although you might still want to try the mirror trick). This year, the TechXchange Public Speaking Effectiveness program builds on the success of last year and we offer two virtual webinars in early September, featuring two of the best Speaker Coaches in the business.

Gary Lafferty returns to IBM TechXchange in 2025 with his unique “Clients from Speaking” system, developed over years of training salespeople how to engage with their clients, make powerful presentations, and overcome their internal fears and doubt. He’s even published a book on it, called “Make More Money Speaking,” which breaks down the techniques of the world’s most successful business leaders into practical steps to help you become more powerful, engaging, and persuasive.

Gary will lead our first webinar, Wednesday, September 3 at 11 AM EDT: Sign up here to attend, From Great to Unforgettable: The IBM TechXchange Speaker Advantage

Melinda Buckley is a Broadway ’triple threat' (A Chorus Line, Crazy for You, Bob Fosse’s Sweet Charity), who brings a performer’s sense of ‘presence' to presenting. Research shows only 7% of impact comes from words — the other 93% relies on voice, body language, and storytelling. With expertise in those very skills, Melinda helps speakers cut through the noise, connect authentically, and deliver with confidence. For years, she coached IBM’s top executives for their Think keynotes and now brings that insight to IBM TechXchange.

Melinda stars in our second webinar in the series, Wednesday, September 10, at 11 AM EDT. Register here for Unleashing the Power of Story