Speak With Confidence is created by The Speech Improvement Company (TSIC), one of the oldest and most established communication coaching firms in the United States. Founded over fifty years ago, TSIC has worked with executives, leadership teams, and organizations across industries — from Fortune 500 companies to healthcare systems, law firms, and government agencies. The company's longevity is built on a simple premise: communication is a measurable skill, and like any skill, it improves with the right framework and deliberate practice.
The content on this site is grounded in the work of Ethan Becker and Jon Wortmann, co-authors of Mastering Communication at Work. The book distills decades of coaching observations into six core techniques and a set of repeatable formats that leaders use to communicate with clarity, credibility, and influence. Becker, a third-generation communication coach and president of TSIC, brings a practitioner's eye for what actually works in high-stakes settings. Wortmann brings a writer's ability to make complex communication concepts accessible and immediately usable. Together, they built a framework that has been adopted by organizations worldwide — not because it is theoretical, but because it produces observable results in the first conversation where someone applies it.
This mini-site exists to make the core ideas from that framework available in a focused, searchable format. It is not a replacement for the main coaching site at speechimprovement.com, where you can explore programs, connect with advisors, and schedule coaching. It is not a replacement for the thought leadership platform at speech.net, where extended articles, research, and industry analysis are published. Speak With Confidence sits between the two: a practical resource library where leaders can learn the techniques, study the case studies, and practice the drills before or alongside formal coaching.
The TSIC Approach
TSIC's methodology is practical and outcome-focused. It does not begin with theory and hope for application — it begins with the specific situation a client faces and works backward to the technique that will produce the result they need. The six techniques that form the foundation of the approach — matching listener tendency, managing ethos, speaking to motivation, framing messages, validation, and adding color through storytelling — are not abstract principles. They are the observable patterns behind every successful high-stakes conversation TSIC has studied and coached over five decades.
The formats are equally concrete. Whether a client is preparing for a board presentation, a media interview, a difficult feedback conversation, or a Monday morning team standup, the methodology provides a structure for that specific communication event. The goal is never to make someone sound polished. The goal is to make them effective — to ensure that what they say produces the outcome they intended, with the audience they actually have, in the conditions they actually face.