GC Bookclub – February 2026

Speak, Memorably: The Art of Captivating an Audience – Strategies for Breaking Free from Sameness and Selling Ideas with Conviction (June 10, 2025)

Authors: Bill McGowan and Juliana Silva

In Speak, Memorably, Bill McGowan and Juliana Silva argue that the scarcest executive skill today is distinction. In an environment saturated with templated decks, recycled talking points, and AI-polished prose, leaders who “sound like everyone else” are ignored. Those who communicate with clarity, edge, and conviction will be the ones to shape decisions.

This book provides a practical framework for:

• Eliminating verbal sameness and corporate filler

• Structuring arguments that command attention in high-stakes settings

• Communicating with brevity without sacrificing substance

• Projecting authority under pressure (boards, investors, crisis moments)

• Translating complex ideas into persuasive narratives

Rather than focusing on theatrical presentation skills, the authors concentrate on message architecture, how to sharpen positioning, avoid dilution, and create memorable language that helps to drive action.

Why This Matters for Procurement Executives

From a search and advisory perspective, I see a consistent pattern: top-tier CPOs are differentiated less by technical sourcing capability and more by enterprise influence.

Your ability to secure budget, accelerate digital transformation, or gain stakeholder alignment often hinges on how you articulate your value, not just the value itself.

Specifically, this book is relevant because:

1. Executive Level Communication Is Now Core to the Role

   
   

   Procurement has moved from back office cost control to enterprise risk and growth strategy. The ability to speak memorably determines whether procurement is seen as tactical or strategic.

2. Influence Drives Adoption of Procurement Transformation

   
   

   Whether implementing AI driven sourcing, supplier risk platforms, or ESG frameworks, internal resistance is inevitable. Clear, conviction driven messaging will help you accelerate alignment.

3. Negotiation Is Performance Under Pressure

   
   

   High stakes supplier negotiations are more successful when leaders can communicate decisively and without verbal clutter.

4. Talent Leadership Requires Narrative Clarity

   
   

   As procurement functions compete for top talent, leaders need to be able to articulate a compelling vision for the function’s future.

Speak, Memorably is about creating strategic influence through better communication. For procurement leaders who are navigating volatility, transformation, and board scrutiny, that distinction really matters.