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Learn MoreSpeak, Engage, Present: The ABCs of Winning Communication
New
Speak, Engage, Present: The ABCs of Winning Communication
Communication is no longer a “nice to have” but a strategic necessity.
New
Created byFlo Akinbiyi
Last updated 5/2026
English
What you'll learn
- Elevate communication skills professionally for better internal communication within the company.
- Elevate communication skills for a new job, recent promotion or working towards a promotion.
- A new job or position includes a lot of internal presentations to board members or internal staff.
- A new job or position require external communication and/or speaking at conferences or on stage.
Explore related topics
Course content
15 sections • 70 lectures • 2h 30m total length
- Welcome to the Course0:55
I have taken my 20 years of experience and created this highly effective and fun online course for you to upgrade your communication skills.
At the end of this course, you will be able to write outstanding speeches, craft winning presentations, construct mind-blowing talks, facilitate successful meetings and deliver your ideas with power, presence, and passion.
In this course, you will:
1. Improve your communication game
2. Deliver winning presentations, meetings, and speeches and explore the power of your voice!
3. Become an authentic communicator, offline and online
Create a folder on your PC or phone where you can take notes and upload your videos. This folder will be your self-review journey through the course and at the end of the course.
- Lesson 1 Introduction0:34
Let's get started with some great news! You all have potential. In this lesson, you see how you can make the most out of it!
- Lesson 1 Mindset2:01
Don't strive for perfection; but for a Growth Mindset, Hard Work, and something I call a 3D Methodology!
Action Time!
Set yourself a goal for this course. Write down what you want to achieve.
Be as precise as you can!
What kind of a communicator do you want to be?
What do you want to do with your speeches?
What do you want the audience to feel?
What do you want people to say after your speeches?
I like to set SMART Goals (S- specific, M- measurable, A- Achievable, R- Reasonable, T- Time attached to it)
Here is what you do:
a) Write down your entire goal statement on a document that you can review on a weekly basis.
b) Write down a condensed version consisting of 3 - 5 words so it fits on a sticky note!
c) Put the condensed version on a sticky note and stick it on any surface visible to you multiple times a day.
This goal should become your focus for the period of this course, something you are looking forward to achieving, something tangible for you to accomplish.
- Lesson 1 Self Evaluation1:00
Where are you in your journey? What gets measured gets achieved.
Action Time!
Complete the Lesson 1 Action Time questionnaire. Don't overthink your answers, go with your first instinct and be honest.
- Lesson 1 Superpowers1:26
Do you know your superpowers?
Homework Time!
Ask three people (friend, family member and colleague) - what are my superpowers?They don't have to be about your speaking ability but who you are as a person.
Keep the answers in your folder.
- Lesson 2 Introduction0:40
If you want to learn, you should learn from the world's greatest speakers. In this lesson, we look at some world-class speeches. Speeches that have moved and changed the world.
- Lesson 2 Setting the Scene1:40
The art of communication and the value of communication. Life can be improved through communication.
Action Time!
Complete the Lesson Two Speech Quiz.
- Lesson 2 The Power of Communication1:13
The power of communication. Words can be used for either noble or the terrible.
Homework Time!
Find your personal number one speech or speaker and describe what it is that inspires you.
Choose a speech that has received international attention and coverage, a speech that is one of the greatest in history. If you don't have one yet, start by watching some of the below speeches.
Abraham Lincoln - Gettysburg Address
Mahatma Gandhi - Quit India
Winston Churchill - We shall fight on the beaches
Martin Luther Kind - I have a dream
Nelson Mandela - ‘I Am Prepared to Die’ Speech
John F. Kennedy - Inaugural Address (Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.)
Ronald Reagan - Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate
Steve Jobs - Commencement Address at Stanford University
Barack Obama - Election Victory Speech, 2008
Oprah Winfrey - Acceptance speech for the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 75th Annual Golden Globes
Describe what you like about the speech, the speaker, and what inspires or moves you.
Where are you on your journey? What gets measured, gets achieved.
Add your notes to your folder.
- Lesson 3 Introduction1:25
Content is the nuts and bolts of public speaking! In this lesson, we speak about how communication helps you to plant seeds in the minds of the audience!
- Lesson 3 Audience0:58
Audience first! The mindset of the audience matters!
- Lesson 3 Aristotles Triangle1:16
A lesson from the ancient Greeks.
- Lesson 3 Credibility1:46
Know your stuff!
Action Time!
Reflect on your level of credibility.
Let's take a moment to reflect. Answer these questions:
How do your colleagues, your clients, your friends perceive you in terms of credibility?
Would you say you have a lot of credibility?
What is the feedback, related to credibility which you receive after a presentation?
Do you have a vision for yourself?
How can you improve your credibility to become the speaker you want to be?
Add your notes to your folder.
- Lesson 3 Data and Facts1:53
Data is important and facts are necessary. If you present them, present them right!
Homework Time!
Present the data and facts in an exciting way and record yourself.
Do a 3 - 5 minute presentation with plenty of data and facts. Make sure the facts are presented in a creative, stimulating, and exciting way. Record yourself and kept in a folder for later reference at the end of the course.
Examples:
Hans Rosling's 200 countries, 200 years, 4 minutes - The Joy of Stats - BBC
PopTech 2009: Michael Pollan
- Lesson 4 Introduction0:33
The all time favorite - the burger approach!
In this lesson, we talk about how a clear structure helps the audience to digest, follow, and remember your messages!
- Lesson 4 The Three Act Story Structure1:28
The three act story structure - simple but genius.
- Lesson 4 Opening2:00
Your hook, your powerful opening!
Action Time!
Write an engaging opening which captivates the audience (max. 130 Words).
Topic: The future of travel (your opening does not need to be based on real facts). It is up to you to decide whether you believe and want to talk about AI being the greatest invention of humanity or if you want to make a statement around AI being the biggest threat to human life.
Add your notes to your file.
- Lesson 4 Your Introduction1:51
How do you introduce yourself? I repeat. How do you introduce yourself? You never get a second chance to make a first impression!
- Lesson 4 Body1:31
Bored audience? Here are 5 strategies to keep your audience engaged!
Examples:
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's address | Harvard Commencement 2019
Mohammed bin Rashid speech at the Free University of Berlin
- Lesson 4 Closing2:08
The closing is what the audience remembers. Make it memorable!
Action Time!
Write a powerful and memorable closing (max. 130 Words).
Topic: A positive mindset is a necessity not a luxury! A closed mind does not open doors.
Homework Time!
Record a short speech. Consider an engaging opening, a strong introduction, a solid body, and a powerful closing (max. 4 - 5 Minutes)
Choose one of the three topics.
Topic 1: Family is the most important thing in life!
Topic 2: What would you do with 1 million USD?
Topic 3: How did COVID-19 impact your life?
Add the video to your folder.
- Lesson 5 Introduction0:58
In this lesson, we talk about visual aids; a supporting device. It is important to remember that visual aids are designed to only supplement written or spoken information so that it can be easily understood.
- Lesson 5 PowerPoint2:09
Tortured by bad PowerPoint presentations? Here are the biggest faux-pas.
Action Time!
Enough with ugly boring PowerPoint presentations, this stops today. There are many free and paid platforms you can use to create or imporve your presetations decks. Platforms such as Beautiful.ai, Gamma and Presentations.AI can be used to create presentations that look 10 times better than the ones your colleagues create.
Take a current presentation and see how it can be improved. Make notes of the things that work for you and how you can modify your slides in the future.
Add your notes to your folder.
- Lesson 5 Create a Stunning Presentation3:38
Let me give you 13 tips on how to create stunning PowerPoint slides for presenting.
- Lesson 5 Alternatives to PowerPoint1:10
From Keynote, to Prezi, Visemic, Canva.com, Slidebean, Microsoft Sway. The world does not end with PowerPoint. Be creative!
Action Time!
Let's take a look at the next level. PowerPoint has competitors that are quite amazing!
Hop onto some alternative platforms, play around with them and find 1 alternative to PowerPoint that you can use for one of your next presentations.
Keynote - For Mac, iOS, and iCloud - lets you make dazzling presentations!
Prezi - The presentation software that uses motion, zoom, and spatial relationships to bring your ideas to life!
Visme - An online content creation tool - to create and present compelling stories in the form of engaging presentations.
Canva - Beautiful Design Templates and Tools to Boost Your Workflow.
Slidebean - AI powered - A presentation that designs itself.
Beautiful ai - AI powered - Just think of an idea, choose a template, and work beautifully...and efficiently in minutes!
Microsoft Sway - An easy-to-use digital storytelling app for creating interactive reports, visually striking newsletters, presentations, and documentation
Ludus - It's like Sketch and Keynote had a baby in the cloud.
- Lesson 5 Props and Other Visual Aids1:52
From PowerPoint to Whiteboard, Flipchart, Props, and many more items that support your content and visualize your messages.
Homework Time!
Let's upgrade another ugly presentation.
Take an old or a recent PowerPoint presentation and transform this average piece of work into a presentation that Steve Jobs would be proud of.
Use powerful imagery, transform text into statements, use data visualization and infographics that add value to your presentation. This homework will take time, research, effort, and commitment, but once you are done and compare the old to the new one, you will never want to go back to creating average presentations.
Once done, compare the two with what you’ve learned so far.
- Lesson 6 Introduction0:27
In this lesson, we work on your speech; in fact, we elevate your speech. We talk about the WOW factor, language hacks, and storytelling.
- Lesson 6 Language Hacks5:41
Be versatile, use language hacks, they make your speech stand out.
Action Time!
Write a short speech using Rhetorical Devices (max. 250 words).
3 x Super Short Sentences - ASYNDETON (e.g. I came, I saw, I conquered)
3 x Repetitive Sentences - ANAPHORA (e.g. I have a dream)
1 x Contrasting Statement – ANTITHESIS (e.g. dark days, bright nights)
1 x Metaphor (e.g. Brexit Divorce or Arab Spring)
1 x Exaggerated Statement - HYPERBAL (e.g. Our company is not the best in the country, not in the world, but in the universe)
1 x Rhyme (e.g. ...when the yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead man and when white will embrace what is right)
Example:
Speak like a leader | Simon Lancaster | TEDxVerona
- Lesson 6 WOW-factor3:01
What is the WOW factor, why do you need it and how do you incorporate it in your communication?
Action Time!
Come up with 3 WOW-Factors you can use in your communication.
Examples:
Bill Gates TEDTalk Mosquitos, malaria and education
Steve Jobs Introducing The iPhone At MacWorld 2007
Jill Bolte Taylor TEDTalk My Stroke of Insight
- Lesson 6 Storytelling2:07
Everyone has stories to tell, but storytelling is a skill that can be developed and as a tool it can be used for powerful effect.
Action Time!
Watch the video of storytelling expert: David JP Phillips
Homework Time!
Time to tell a story! Time to tell YOUR story!
Tell a story in an exciting way using vivid language, creating suspense, bringing characters to life, and ending with a takeaway. Record the story and add it to your folder (max. 4-6 min).
- Lesson 7 Introduction0:36
Unplanned speaking can go terribly wrong, unless you learn how to do it. In this lesson, we talk about the so called impromptu speaking!
- Lesson 7 Wing It1:27
Do you love to wing it? Let's wing it properly.
Action Time!
Impromptu speaking test Let's see what you got!
Give a 2-minute impromptu speech in front of a trusted audience and get their feedback. Ask the audience to give you a random topic and scenario.
Example:
Topic: Why do you deserve this promotion?
Audience: Your Boss and HR
Want to challenge yourself more? Don't just do one. Do two, three, four, or ten impromptu speeches with your trusted audience.
Note down the feedback received by the audience and your insights.
- Lesson 7 Speech Structures2:45
Even though it is impromptu, it is still structured. Speech structures for that unplanned speaking moment!
- Lesson 7 The Little Black Book1:50
The little black book. Your personal pocket directory!
Action Time!
Start your little black book - Note down one story, one quote and one fact to elevate your impromptu speaking.
The black book is a document or a notebook that becomes your go to for impromptu speaking and for prepared speeches.
Homework Time!
Impromptu speaking Test 2 - Let's do another impromptu speech and see how you do now!
Give the speech (2 – 3 minutes) in front of an audience and ask them to give you a random topic and scenario.
Add the recording to your folder for self-review at the end of the course.
- Lesson 7 Wrap Up Content1:01
HALF-TIME! Let's recap and celebrate this moment, you are halfway there.
- Lesson 8 Introduction Delivery0:36
Churchill is one of the greatest speakers the world has ever known. He spent years refining his speaking skills. What that meant was practicing his delivery. In this chapter, we talk about delivery. Delivery means emotion, voice, body language, the power of words, audience engagement, and authenticity. If the content is king, delivery is the queen!
- Lesson 8 Introduction Voice0:37
Your mouth is a creative weapon. As we know, words can mean heaven or hell. Your voice is a Ferrari and in this lesson, we will speak about how you can use its full potential.
Action Time!
Let's learn Diaphragmatic Breathing.
Investing in your voice in something no one will ever take away from you. Let my very own personal voice coach Patrick Munoz, teach you how to have a supported and powerful voice through diaphragmatic breathing.
- Lesson 8 Voice Modulation5:14
Let's make you sound great!
Action Time!
Read out loud! Read the following story out loud.
Read it a couple of times and play with it, have fun with it. This is an exercise to explore your potential, to see how much you can do with your voice.
Do one round with a soft voice for the narrator and intense characters, next time flip it around and have an angry and loud narrator and softer characters.
Give the characters really distinct voices, the mum needs to sound like a woman, Jeremy like a young boy and the lobster should have a crazy voice.
Challenge yourself and put in as much effort as you possibly can. If you don't feel stupid at some point, you are not giving it your everything!
Tip: Print the story or copy it into Word doc and give the different characters different colors, underline and mark important words, place pauses, and write instructions for yourself on the script."The human voice is the most perfect instrument of all."
Arvo Pärt
- Lesson 8 Emotional Speaking2:06
Emotional speaking is the heart of your influence with audiences. Depending on the occasion of your speech, you can use your voice differently. Let's start unlocking the potential of your voice!
Action Time!
Watch Morgan Freeman revealing the secret of his amazing voice.
- Lesson 8 Voice Warm Up3:29
Be kind to your voice! Warm up your voice before speaking.
Homework Time!
Record a speech using a powerful and emotional voice (max. 5 Minutes)
The topic can be of your own choice.
This exercise is all about the voice. Deliver this speech with the full power, full range, and full potential of your voice.
Don’t worry if you go overboard on this one, you have to experience your maximum potential to be able to tone it down when needed.
Add the recordings to your folder to self-review at the end of the course.
- Lesson 9 Introduction Body Language0:34
In this lesson, we talk about body language. This is one of my favorite topics when it comes to delivery because your body always talks.
- Lesson 9 Appearance1:36
Appearance and fashion go hand in hand. Don't be a victim of fashion; use it to your advantage.
- Lesson 9 Interview with Sue Aster15:22
Interview with fashion expert - Sue Aster.
Action Time!
Take a critical look at your wardrobe and upgrade your style.
Remember, you are yourself!
What can you do to improve your style?
It's not about spending lots of money or buying big brands, it's about buying the right garments for you!
Here are some style suggestions from Sue Aster - fashion specialist!
- Lesson 9 Posture2:16
The right posture can take you far.
Action Time!
Assess if you have the posture of a strong confident leader. Take a look at you in the mirror and record your posture.
Ask 3 people what your posture looks like during a presentation or a speech.
Give a speech in front of the mirror or look at some pictures or videos of yourself at a presentation or a speech.
Look if your posture is confident, open, or energetic. If you realize that it can be improved, write down the changes you need to implement and practice as often as you can, everyday multiple times so you get used to your new posture.
Add your notes to your folder.
- Lesson 9 Position/movement1:36
Don't be static or a caged lion.
- Lesson 9 Gestures1:27
Use gestures to support your messages.
- Lesson 9 Eye Contact & Facial Expressions2:02
Smile like you mean it.
- Lesson 9 Inspiration1:59
Inspiration Time! Who has great body language?
Of course, James Bond and Michelle Obama.
Action Time!
Watch 'The importance of being inauthentic' by Mark Bowden
Video resources:
Boost Your Confidence With Perfect Posture - Personality Development
How a better posture makes you more confident when meeting new people
Requirements
- No experience required
Description
Elevate your communication. Deliver moments that matter.
This course is designed for professionals who want to move beyond average communication and create real impact, whether on stage or in the boardroom.
Led by Flo Akinbiyi, an international presenter who has shared the stage with global figures and worked with leading corporations and government entities, this course equips you with the skills to stand out in a world increasingly shaped by AI. Because while AI can generate content, it cannot replace human presence, connection, and authenticity.
You will learn how to craft and deliver messages that people remember, using a Human-First Communication approach that puts clarity, emotion, and audience connection at the center. Not theory. Not fluff. Practical techniques you can apply immediately.
Through a combination of targeted exercises, proven frameworks, real-life examples, and guided self-assessment, you will refine your communication style, strengthen your presence, and build confidence that holds under pressure.
This is the foundation of Flo’s in-person coaching, trusted by leaders who need to communicate with clarity, authority, and human connection when it matters most.
Start your journey to powerful, memorable communication. Go with the Flo(w).
Course includes:
o 13 structured chapters
o Practical exercises and guided homework
o Quizzes to reinforce learning
o Real-life and live examples
o Actionable techniques applicable immediately
Who this course is for:
- Professionals looking to elevate their public speaking, presentation and communication skills.