The speech inspiration leans heavily on sincere convictions. For unless the speaker feels deeply about his subject, how can he move his audience? So, if you have developed a philosophy of living; if your beliefs means a great deal to you and you can be proud of them; if you take joy in sharing your credo publicly—or feel impelled to do so—you probably have that conviction. It provides the tinder to set you and your audience in a glow or perhaps a conflagration.
~ James F. Bender, The Technique of Executive Leadership (1950)
