What is the ESN Leaders’ Training?

The training is designed so that you become stronger and more skilled at presenting yourself in public.

Not only will you learn how to overcome any fear of public speaking, you will improve your ability to connect emotionally with others.

Furthermore you will be in a supportive environment far away from the attention of your work colleagues or professional rivals.

You will test yourself by competing against your peers. You will be given the raw experience of speaking without notes and evaluating the performance of others in appropriate ways.

If English is not your first language, you will be stretched to improve your diction and fluency.

You will join a community of ambitious people who want to develop personal confidence and the ability to lead others by making memorable speeches.

What is the European Speechwriter Network?

Since 2009, the European Speechwriter Network has organised conferences in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Paris, Brussels, Helsinki, Leuven, Amsterdam, Berlin and The Hague.

We have organised training for professional speechwriters from leading European institutions and businesses like BP, NATO and the European Commission.

Our organisation has rediscovered the Renaissance art of thinking, writing and speaking that came under the umbrella of ‘rhetoric’.

Rhetoric is an intellectual method of investigating truth.

Rhetoric trains people to be effective as generalists rather than experts.

Rhetoric emphasises that audiences respond differently to the spoken word than to the written word.

Rhetoric is growing in status because people are rejecting technocratic leadership.

Through discussions, training and events, the European Speechwriter Network has brought together highly-educated people from around the world to restore these ideas to public consciousness.

Who is this course designed for?

It’s designed for people who want to develop the courage to stand out.

This training is immersive. You learn by doing and then doing better.

We’re offering an experience that will help you grow.

We want to work with ambitious people who understand that to be a leader, it’s not about your qualifications on paper.

Public speaking is a great way to introduce yourself and get to know others.

You need to connect with the people you aspire to govern.

To get to the top of any European business or organisation requires you to speak English to a high level.

Delivering a compelling speech in English when it’s not your first language is hard.

You have to start practising somewhere. We’ll equip you for your journey.

Why should you sign up?

The style of leadership is changing.

The value of qualifications based on written examinations is being questioned.

This means confidence, creativity and speaking skills become more prized in the AI era.

If your personal presence is weak, you will not command respect.

The ability to communicate without self-consciousness in person is a vital skill in the digital world.

If you can express ideas in simple words, look someone in the eye, speak clearly and act in a confident manner in front of an audience, you will have a significant advantage.

The art of persuasive speech enables leaders to bond with audiences and build consensus.

We champion learning by performing your ideas and improving through practice and criticism. Many of the trainers are graduates of advanced acting workshops, debate clubs and Toastmasters International.

The founder of Toastmasters International, Ralph C. Smedley, enumerated the benefits of training in public speaking as follows:

• It leads to the discovery of hidden abilities, bringing these untapped talents into use, and thus enriching the individual’s life.

• It helps in the integration of personality.

• It brings out… traits and abilities, and thus helps to prepare the individual to be a leader.

What to come with…

• Memorise a 60-second extract (130 words) from a classic poem or a play. You will be expected to perform that extract in front of your peers in Cambridge.
• Read Dr Max Atkinson’s book Lend Me Your Ears which outlines the basic principles of public speaking.
• Write a 600-word personal introduction outlining your life story so far, including your achievements and setbacks. You will be expected to work with this material during the training.

What you will leave with…

• You will have at least 15-minutes ‘stage time’ in front of your peers, dealing with the stress of being at the centre of attention. You will be taught how to deal with nerves and self-consciousness.
• You will have experience of playing a role within a group meeting. You will understand the importance of turn taking, speaking to time, using appropriate language and offering sensitive evaluation.
• You will have a basic toolkit for writing a speech. You will learn how to use Dr Max Atkinson’s methodology of three-part lists, rhetorical questions and contrasts. You will have had a chance to experiment with these techniques and understand their effectiveness.
• You will be introduced to new personal habits: having your own commonplace book to support your creativity, learning to see your life as a story and the uses of writing to maintain good mental health.

PROGRAMME

Tuesday 8 December

Delegates arrive in time for a meal and induction in Cambridge

Wednesday 9 December

10.00am – 4.00pm

The Art of Eloquence Masterclass with Guy Doza

Guy is a TEDx speaker, author, and speechwriter. He has written for CEOs and advised intergovernmental policy groups, but his real passion is rhetoric. He lives in Cambridge where he writes for a variety of clients and gives the occasional lecture for the university. He also trains local schools in debating and MBA students in business presenting.

His first book, How to Apologise for Killing a Cat: Rhetoric and the Art of Persuasion, was popular hit. And his second book, The Language of Evil established him as an authority on populists and dictators.

Guy will explain the importance of public speaking and how it goes far beyond self-improvement and vocational training.

He will give an introduction to the five canons of rhetoric, he will explain the persuasive power of ethos, pathos and logos, and he will get you writing and performing throughout the day.

7.00pm Evening meal in Cambridge

Thursday 10 December

Eloquence in Action (Day 1)

10.00am

Personal Presentations

The delegates will practise their memorised scripts. These will be evaluated by their peers and a panel of coaches.

11.30 – 12.00pm Break

How to Create Your Own Ideas

The delegates will practise introducing themselves and learn how to create a commonplace book to enrich presentations and become aware of core values.

1.00pm – 2.00pm Lunch

Speaking Competition

Delegates will be invited to give presentations without preparation in front of their peers.

3.30pm – 4pm Break

Evaluation

We will invite delegates to practise addressing praise and constructive criticism to their peers.

7.00pm Evening meal in Cambridge

Friday 11 December

9.30am

Eloquence in Action (Day 2)

Group Meeting

We will host a session of impromptu speaking, prepared speeches and evaluation. All delegates will play different roles.

The audience will vote by secret ballot on who will be the best impromptu speaker, the best speaker and the best evaluator.

11.30am – 12.00pm Break

(Check out of bedrooms and return keys)

Closing speeches

1.00pm End of Conference 

Registration

There are 30 places available, which will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

To get the most out of the conference we recommend that you stay in Cambridge for the duration of the training.

£1999 inc VAT =

Early-Bird Residential Leaders’ Public Speaking & Speechwriting Training Package (ends on 2 October 2026)

Includes bed and breakfast in a Cambridge college on the Tue/Wed/Thu + lunches & refreshments on the Wed & Thu + Guy Doza The Art of Eloquence Masterclass + Training

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£1599 inc VAT =

Early-Bird Non-Residential Leaders’ Public Speaking & Speechwriting Training Package (ends on 2 October 2026)

Wed/ Thu/ Fri: Guy Doza The Art of Eloquence Masterclass + Training + lunches & refreshments

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£899 inc VAT =

Early- Bird Non-Residential (ends on 2 October 2026)

Wed Guy Doza: The Art of Eloquence Masterclass + lunch and refreshments.

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To request an invoice please email: info@europeanspeechwriters.org

From Peter Jones’s column in The Spectator