Logos Institute and the Executive Communication Council Present the Inaugural Leadership Communication Academy

On March 11 – 12, 2025, the Logos team and the leadership of the Professional Speechwriters Association's Executive Communication Council led a two-day, immersive Certificate Course in Strategic Executive Communication in Chicago, IL. This certificate course was presented as the inaugural course of the Leadership Communication Academy.

This two-day course brought together more than 20 senior communication professionals from across industries. The course was designed specifically for executive communication professionals to enhance their ability to be genuinely strategic in their role, specifically how to apply the principles of strategy to help their senior leaders advance an organization’s goals. The course focused how to think clearly, how to effectively persuade audiences, and how to become a trusted strategic advisor to leaders.

Logos president Helio Fred Garcia and Logos Senior Advisor and Chief of Staff Katie Garcia served as faculty for this program.

On the first day, we began the course by guiding participants through the foundational elements of strategy. Strategy is a system of ordered thinking that helps an individual or organization mobilize resources to accomplish clearly defined goals. The first rule of strategy is to think clearly:

• to understand the situation that presents a challenge or opportunity;

• to understand the desired outcome; and

• to deeply understand an audience and what it will take to change what that audience thinks and feels and how it behaves.

We focused on the discipline and rigor necessary to use communication to secure a business outcome.

We then turned to how communication professionals can prevent or overcome the marginalization of the communication function and earn a seat at the table as important decisions are being made. We explored how communication professionals can use their craft in the service of goals that matter to senior leaders, in ways that deliver value to an enterprise, and in ways that transcend specific functional areas.

We began the second day by taking a deep dive into framing and the management of meaning. Specifically, we looked at how to create context that leads audiences to a desired conclusion. We then explored the power of story and shared how we could use elements of effective storytelling to structure content in ways that inspire audiences to support an idea more quickly.

The two days were filled with robust discussion, learning, and. Participants also practiced using three tools, applying the principles and techniques covered in each module. At the end of the course, participants received a credential, certifying the successful completion of the course.

We are immensely grateful to have the opportunity to teach, learn from, and be in relationship with the participants of this inaugural Leadership Communication Academy course. And we are thrilled to deepen our relationship with the Executive Communication Council.