Program
Keynote Ready
Program at a glance
FORMAT
DURATION
SUITED TO
FACILITATED BY
Do your leaders?
- Get through the talk but leave no lasting impression?
- Prepare for hours and still feel underprepared when they step up?
- Lose the room before they reach the point?
- Fear looking incompetent in front of a senior or external audience?
- Speak with authority in the room but struggle to translate that onto a stage?
70%
of professionals say presentation skills are critical to their career success
Harris Poll, 2017
Leaders who can’t hold a room lose authority, trust and opportunity.
Authority
Nothing erodes a leader’s authority faster than appearing underprepared on stage. When they ramble, lose their train of thought or hide behind slides, the audience perceives it as incompetence — regardless of actual expertise.
Trust
Audiences can tell when a speaker hasn’t done their homework. When the talk feels generic or self-focused rather than addressing the room’s real concerns, trust drops before the message even lands.
Opportunity
Attention is finite and keynote slots are hard to get. Leaders who can’t make the room feel something leave without the response the moment required — and rarely get a second chance to make the same impression.
The Keynote Ready Journey: Where are your leaders?
Resistance
Leaders feel exposed so they rush, hide behind slides or go blank. The room senses the discomfort and disconnects. The talk becomes about getting through it rather than landing something.
Research
They do the real preparation: who is in the room, what they care about, what they are worried about. The content gets more relevant, but it can still feel loose and disconnected.
Outcome Design
They are clear on the outcome: what the audience should think, feel and do. The talk has direction, but it may still sound like information rather than influence.
Theme
They build a clean through-line and tell a story that carries the message. The keynote becomes memorable, persuasive and easy to follow all the way to the close.
Presence
They are fully present and responsive. They speak like themselves, land humour and emotion naturally, handle Q&A with ease and move the room to action.
Five Steps to Being Keynote Ready
Research
Participants do deep audience research so they know what the room cares about, what they are resisting and what they are hoping to hear. The talk starts from the audience's world, not the speaker's own agenda.
Structure
Participants design the flow around the audience’s biggest questions, so every section answers what they are thinking next and attention stays locked in from opening to close.
Story
Participants build a clear theme and story that carries the message, dissolves resistance and makes the point memorable and repeatable. The audience leaves with something they can pass on to others.
Craft
Participants refine the talk until it sounds like them, but sharper. Clean language, strong beats and a straightforward approach to Q&A that keeps authority intact under pressure.
Presence
Participants develop the state and tools to stay calm, present and responsive, so they can read the room and adapt in real time. The talk lands differently every time it is given.
What participants receive?
- A repeatable process to build a keynote around what the audience actually cares about
- Tools to research the room, map priorities and surface the real questions in the room
- A clear structure that holds attention and builds toward a decisive close
- Storycraft techniques to land a theme, earn trust and drive the audience to action
- Delivery tools for presence, authenticity and confident Q&A under pressure
Who This Program is Ideal For
- Leaders who speak in high-stakes moments and need to influence outcomes, not just inform
- Executives representing the organisation at conferences, investor events, town halls and launches
- Experts who want to be more memorable, persuasive and quoted for the right reasons
- Founders and senior leaders who need to win rooms and create demand
- Teams preparing speakers for conferences, panels, pitches or major internal communications
Who This Program is not ideal For
- Leaders who rarely or never speak in public and have no immediate need for this skill
- Those seeking technical subject matter coaching rather than presentation and communication skills
- Individuals who are already confident and compelling keynote speakers
- Anyone looking for media training or interview preparation rather than keynote development
Craft
Participants refine the talk until it sounds like them, but sharper. Clean language, strong beats and a straightforward approach to Q&A that keeps authority intact under pressure.
Presence
Participants develop the state and tools to stay calm, present and responsive, so they can read the room and adapt in real time. The talk lands differently every time it is given.
What participants say
Arabella is an exceptional advisor and strategist. She played a pivotal role in aligning my global leadership team at Block Inc by fostering clarity, cohesion, and strategic alignment. Any leader looking to elevate their leadership with authenticity would greatly benefit from connecting with her.
Thank you so much for facilitating this awesome course for us. I have learnt so much about myself and working with others.
Very accommodating to the different circumstances of all participants. Excellent at making the online course format not feel like an awkward game of marco polo.
Arabella was fantastic. Her professionalism, knowledge and passion is infectious and genuine. I would highly recommend her to others.
Arabella is an outstanding communicator. She has taught me how to understand people, the decisions they make and how to influence their thought processes to drive better outcomes.
I thoroughly recommend Arabella's program for anyone who wants to lift their business conversations to the next level.
With 18 years of experience, Arabella has worked globally with CEOs and senior leadership teams across sectors, including Telstra, AstraZeneca, eBay, LinkedIn, Deloitte and AMEX. She has spoken on over 500 stages internationally on influence, communication, negotiation and leadership.
She co-authored the communication section of Macquarie University's Global Online MBA, with 66,000+ enrolments.