Speaking
Talks that change how people use words and how they think.
In 1998, I became the World Champion of Public Speaking. Since then, I’ve spoken to leaders and teams across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia about the thing that sits underneath every strategy, change and decision: language.
Keynotes for conferences & events
The Bullshit Test
Philosopher Harry Frankfurt argued that bullshit isn’t lying; it’s not caring whether something is true. Brett turns that idea on business fads, frameworks and AI hype. Funny, uncomfortable and impossible to unhear.
You’ll leave with a five-question test for any claim, pitch or plan.
Smart People, Stupid Systems
Why do intelligent organisations make decisions nobody would make alone? Drawing on Carlo Cipolla’s laws of human stupidity, Brett shows how language lets bad decisions slip through and how to stop them.
You’ll leave with the warning signs to listen for in your next meeting.
Better Words. Better AI.
AI gives vague answers to vague questions. Brett explains what AI actually does with your words, and why that makes clear thinking more valuable than ever. A sharp, practical keynote on briefing machines and people better.
You’ll leave with six language fixes that improve every prompt and every brief.
Sessions for leadership & strategy retreats
The Alignment Illusion
Words like “alignment,” “engagement” and “transformation” let teams agree without understanding each other. This session brings the real disagreement into the open, where it can be resolved.
You’ll leave with shared definitions for the words that matter most, and the real disagreements out in the open and settled.
Say It. Do It.
Your leadership team brings its strategy or anything else important, and we test every word until everyone can explain it the same way, in plain language. Based on SENSEMAP®, the method Brett created.
You’ll leave with your strategy in words every manager can explain without the slides.
AI Made Clear
Most leaders are making decisions about AI without a clear picture of what it is. Brett explains, in plain language, how it really works: it predicts likely words rather than checking what’s true, which changes everything about how to use it and how to talk about it.
You’ll leave with a clear grasp of what AI is and isn’t, and a plain-language AI story your people will trust.
Every talk and session is tailored to your audience, from a 45-minute keynote to a full-day retreat.
World Champion of Public Speaking
The Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking has run every year since 1933, with between 10,000 and 25,000 entrants worldwide. After a year of knockout rounds, I represented New Zealand, won the Rest of the World Final, and three days later won the 1998 World Final in front of 3,000 people and 20 judges, writing a new original speech for every stage.
It taught me what I still teach: the hard part isn’t the delivery. It’s getting the thinking right before you open your mouth.
Planning an event?
Tell me the date, the audience, and what you’d like them to walk away thinking. I’ll tell you honestly whether I’m the right fit.