Karim Ellis is the keynote speaker at the AICPA Governmental and Not-for-Profit Conference in October in Las Vegas. The early-bird registration deadline for the event is Friday.

For Ellis, the qualities of a strong speaker are similar to the ones needed in a strong leader:

empathy, preparedness, adaptability, and excellent storytelling skills.

In this conversation, Ellis shares how he prepares for speaking, some of the rookie mistakes he made decades ago, and why the experience of taking some foul-tasting cough syrup has stuck with him.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• ·         The meaning for Ellis of the phrase “iron sharpens iron; rust sharpens rust.”
• ·         Why a speaker’s preparation is like baking a cake.
• ·         How Ellis adapts if he senses his message is failing to resonate with an audience.
• ·         An example from his childhood that illustrates the power of good storytelling.
• ·         His advice for conference attendees’ choice of seats for his session.