Public speaking has been a big part of my life. I have been giving speeches since I was in elementary school. My recollection is that my first public speech outside of school was a speech to an Optimist Club in Honolulu when I was a sophomore in high school. I was fortunate to be coached by Mrs. Tommy Harvey, who helped me compete in speech and oratory contests in high school. When I was in college, 1966-1970, I gave more than a hundred speeches in eight different states. It was “the student revolution,” and I was traveling and speaking to high school students and student councils about how to bring about change by working together.

 

During my professional career, I have presented more than a thousand speeches, conference papers, and workshops in thirteen countries in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Most of my presentations were made as a result of my leadership positions in the various institutions I served— the State of Hawaii Department of Planning and Economic Development, Oceanic Properties, Chaminade University, YMCA of Honolulu, Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership in the United States, Greenleaf Centre for Servant Leadership (Asia) in Singapore, and Pacific Rim Christian University in Honolulu.     

 

This section includes a sample of speeches on issues and ideas that have been important to me. They include the law of the sea, alternate energy, economic development, lower education, higher education, possible futures, adoption, writing, meaning and motivation, servant leadership, and the Paradoxical Commandments. The largest number of speeches and workshops have been about servant leadership and the Paradoxical Commandments. A sample of servant leadership presentations can be found at www.toservefirst.com. A sample of presentations on the Paradoxical Commandments can be found in this section.