Artifact OL 625: Transformational Keynote – “Control Freak’s Guide to Letting Go”
Laura Inlow
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Artifact OL 625: Transformational Keynote – “Control Freak’s Guide to Letting Go”
A transformational keynote speech entitled “A Control Freak’s Guide to Letting Go” demonstrates the third program learning outcome, developing an awareness of individual communication styles (“Saint Mary’s University”, 2016). This speech demonstrates several course outcomes, including the use of narrative and storytelling as a communication tool, matching vocabulary and voice to an audience’s needs, and arguing for, or influencing, an audience on a specific topic (“Saint Mary’s University”, 2016).
Communication Strategies was an opportunity to overcome the fear of public speaking and work on ways to improve in that area, culminating with this speech as the final project. The speech itself was a practice in pacing, structure, and storytelling, and an opportunity for the speaker to draw wisdom from personal experiences (Larsen, 2009).
The speech’s topic aimed to communicate the positive outcomes that can happen when one realizes the limits on what he or she can control in life, and embraces what he or she cannot. The core message was delivered through storytelling and a lesson outlined in four simple steps: realizing control is an illusion, staying true to one’s self, trusting in one’s team, and trusting in the process.
In a sense, the speech was an allegory for letting go of the fear of public speaking, and moving beyond one’s comfort zone (Larsen, 2009). Through connecting with one’s self, and embracing inner personal growth and awareness, a speaker gains the ability to catalyze change (Larsen, 2009) in others.
Transformational Keynote Speech: “Control Freak’s Guide to Letting Go”
References
Larsen, G. (2009). Transformational speaking: If you want to change the world, tell a better story. Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. (2016, September). 2016-2017 catalog & student handbook, Organizational Leadership, M.A. Retrieved from http://catalog.smumn.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=21&poid=2237&returnto=1185
Laura Inlow 