Speak up even when you feel nervous
An interactive keynote for emerging leaders
TheConfidence Gap
Curing the Epidemic of Awkwardness. Developing the Leaders You Need.
Your next breakthrough might come from the quietest person in the room.
Professor Brett helps teams make room for more voices—and gives people the skills to make their ideas heard.
12+years coaching leaders and teams
LSUprofessor of theatre
LIVEthe audience takes part
The keynote hype reel
See Brett in action.
Watch on YouTube ↗01 / THE PROBLEM
Your smartest, most talented people are often the last to speak up!
We call them “quiet geniuses.” Your problems are all being solved, but only in their heads. They don’t have the confidence or space to deliver those solutions.
Professor Brett will show you how to cover that confidence gap. Let’s shorten the distance between ideas and action. This is not about personality or magical gifts; it’s about skill.
Put simply: You have brilliant people and the right resources. You should be crushing it. So what’s slowing you down? The answer is in this keynote.
02 / THE EXPERIENCE
Give people a chance to practice speaking up.
Brett uses stories, humor, and improv exercises to get people involved. Audience members practice speaking up, listening, and responding when they don’t know exactly what to say.
Stay in a difficult conversation
Respond when a conversation takes an unexpected turn
Listen closely and build trust with colleagues
03 / THE METHOD
NeuroSpontaneity™
Confidence grows with practice.
Brett calls his approach NeuroSpontaneity™. It brings together applied improvisation, performance psychology, and communication exercises to help people think on their feet and stay engaged under pressure.
04 / ABOUT BRETT
From comedy stages to classrooms and boardrooms.
Brett Duggan is an LSU professor of theatre, actor, filmmaker, and improviser with a background in stand-up comedy. He has spent more than 12 years coaching leaders and working with teams.
As founder and CEO of Yes And Innovations, he brings that experience to workshops, coaching, and consulting. His work helps people communicate more clearly and handle the conversations they tend to avoid.
Visit Yes And Innovations ↗05 / FOR EVENT PLANNERS
Help your next leaders find their footing.
This program is for new managers and people preparing to take on more responsibility. Brett offers it as a keynote, an interactive keynote, or an extended workshop.
- Practice communicating under pressure
- Communication skills to use at work
- Live audience participation
- Workshop extension available
Close the confidence gap.
Talk with Brett about your event.
Pick a time to tell Brett about your event and the people attending. Ask questions and talk through whether the keynote would work for your group.
Having trouble with the calendar? Open the scheduling page.