Press Room
Danville native pens 'Speak Like a CEO'
By Mary Wicoff
DANVILLE - You don't have to be an industry giant to sound like one. With a bit of effort and a lot of practice, anyone can speak like a chief executive officer.
That's the premise behind a book written by Danville native Suzanne Bates, "Speak Like a CEO: Secrets for Commanding Attention and Getting Results."
Bates, who now runs Bates Communications in Wellesley, Mass., was in town recently to visit her father, Dick Bates, retired attorney and former president of the Danville District 118 School Board.
Bates is a 1974 graduate of Danville High School and received a bachelor's degree in radio-TV journalism from the University of Illinois.
For 20 years, she was a top-rated television anchor in Boston, Philadelphia and Tampa-St. Petersburg and has interviewed thousands of political leaders, CEOs and celebrities.
Now, she is a consultant to business leaders and corporations.
Just the same, her advice applies across careers, whether a person is working in a big business, a school or a fast-food restaurant.
"It's really for everybody – anybody who wants to communicate effectively, especially in a leadership role," she said. "It could have a broad audience."
The book's principles can apply to members of school boards and village boards, for example, and even to someone looking for a job who wants to express himself more clearly.
Diane Hampel, new principal at Liberty School, read the book over the summer.
"It talks about getting up and speaking before people. That is part of the principal's job, so that was interesting," she said. "I like a good story and there are a lot of good little stories."
Hampel said she read the book in a couple of evenings, saying it's very readable and people can read just the parts they're interested in. The book has a lot of stories from CEOs, Hampel said, adding, "She has had incredible experiences in interviewing different people."
Another reader who found the book helpful was Debi Hosch, physical education teacher at DHS. She appreciated the part of the book that advises people to make time for fitness.
"It's a good book for everyone in all walks of life, not just CEOs," she said. "I think it's good for all students to look at for (advice on) speaking well at job interviews."
Most people are scared to death of public speaking, but Bates said even the greatest speakers in the world didn't start out that way. Referring to former President Bill Clinton, for example, she said, "He got good at it by doing it for so many years."
Bates' most important advice is: Be prepared.
If a speaker gets up and appears natural, as if he's speaking off the cuff, most likely, he's just well-prepared, Bates said. "If you're feeling very anxious, you haven't prepared enough," she said.
With preparation, a person still might feel a bit anxious, but the level will be very low. If he's not prepared, the level of anxiety will be high.
"People do know if you're not prepared and they appreciate it if you are prepared," Bates said.
Once you have the material ready, it's important to rehearse your speech – over and over.
"You really need to practice out loud to get better. Even if you're president of the PTA, if you write it down and practice, you're going to get better. The more you do, the better you'll get," she said.
Some people do have a genuine, inborn anxiety about being the center of attention.
"If they end up in leadership, they have to work hard to overcome it," Bates said. "The worst thing is to avoid it until you get into a situation where it counts."
She suggested people go to Toastmasters or take a speaking class to help overcome their fears.
People who know Bates say her personality comes through the book.
Hosch went to DHS and U of I with Bates. Hampel went to North Ridge Junior High and DHS; both she and Bates played violin in school and with the symphony orchestra.
"I can just hear her voice in it," Hampel said. "She talks about being authentic as a speaker and she's done that as a writer."
Hosch said Bates always has been motivated, adding, "She's very driven. Her forte is motivational speaking."
The book is doing so well that publisher McGraw-Hill has ordered another printing. Bates also has put together a six-CD toolkit and will launch a home study course in the fall.