Page 229 - The New Articulate Executive_ Look, Act and Sound Like a Leader

220 TEST YOUR NEW ARTICULATE EXECUTIVE IQ

For convenience, and to keep it all in one place, I now invite you
to try to articulate a theme that can become, in a sense, your “party
line,” your “marquee message,” the issue or objective that matters
most to you (or your company). This is your opportunity to create a
“voice” for you or your company that you may never have had before,
a theme you can apply to a wide range of speaking opportunities.
Journalists call this an “evergreen” story because it never changes
as long as it remains useful.
Take some time to think about it; then write it down—maybe
just a sentence or two—right here in this book:

Once you’ve got your theme, you’re on your way. Everything else
falls in place. Now the second question you should be asking your-
self is: How should I start, and how should I end? Keeping your
theme in mind, take a quick look at Chapter 8. Then write down
three ways you might want to start strongly (you can use just one, all
three, or more if you like):

1.