Phil Jesson from the Academy for Chief Executives congratulates Australian broadcaster Michael Dodd on winning the New Speaker of the Year Award.

Business Leaders Award Speaker Who Helps Them Answer Tough Questions

International speaker Michael Dodd - who helps business leaders answer tough questions - has been named the New Speaker of the Year by the Academy for Chief Executives.

He was selected for the award from hundreds of speakers who address groups of the Academy each year in Britain and in its new overseas branches in India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta.

Michael - who began his broadcasting career as a political reporter in Australia – is best know to British audiences for his live newspaper reviews which he’s been doing over the past twelve years.

His most popular speaking topic with chief executives has been "Giving Great Answers To Tough Questions".

The sessions equip business leaders to answer vexing questions that come from customers, prospects, staff, their board, shareholders, journalists and members of the public.

Michael's expertise on the topic grows out of his experience in asking probing questions in live broadcasts where he was interviewing politicians, business leaders and other public figures.

"What I discovered was that if business leaders played their cards right in media interviews they could come across much more effectively - a skill which has application to dealing with the questions that come to chief executives from many other places," he said.

“Australian journalists pride ourselves on asking what's been called ‘blowtorch-on-the-belly questions’ and this has been helpful in training business leaders how to give honest and effective answers which can enable them to stand up the rigorous questioning - not just from Jeremy Paxman but from other quarters as well."

Founder of the Academy, Brian Chernett, described Michael's speaking sessions as ones which generated much noise and learning amongst chief executives because everybody in the Academy “got it” when he addressed them.

The Academy’s director responsible for its speaker selection process, Phil Jesson, said the chief executives were impressed by the level of research that Michael did on members before his talks.

He said this helped the business leaders to be thoroughly tested out on the kinds of difficult questions they had to deal with on their feet in their daily work.

Hertfordshire and North London academy chairman Simon Lester said "Michael Dodd is one of the newest and best speakers we have ever had in the Academy in the last 13 years. The workshop is compelling, engaging, entertaining and a must for any CEO in today's world. Michael's skills and experience as a journalist is brought to bear in ruthless fashion creating an unforgettable experiential learning experience."