“The King’s Speech shows the potentially powerful toll poor communication can take on people, especially those in highly-visible leadership positions,” added Weiss. “The movie also shows the enormous power that communication can have to galvanize and motivate people, in this case, an entire country.”

Speakeasy makes it a priority to include five nationally certified speech-language pathologists on its staff. The King's Speech, which portrays unconventional methods at that time, actually shows a precursor to many practices incorporated by speech and language pathologists today. Jane Jones, another of Speakeasy's senior Speech-Language Pathologists commented, “The movie accurately portrays that the listeners' recognition of your expertise is directly linked to your ability to communicate.  The King's ultimate success could not have happened without Logue first developing their relationship and earning his trust, which opened the gate to his speech development plan working and being successful,” says Jones.  “Real change in how others see you is very possible and it starts with a commitment to learning and with someone willing to connect with you to bring that change about,” she added.
As many as 50 leaders a week from all over the country and the world attend Speakeasy programs in the company’s new learning and coaching facility in Buckhead.  Speakeasy has a staff of 27, including a full-time faculty of 11 credentialed instructors, most with over 20 years of tenure with the company. 

“Successful executives leading successful companies place an enormous value on interpersonal communication in this exploding world of not-so-personal communication/social media,” added Weiss.  “They know, as King George learned from his instructor, that at the heart of every successful relationship is a commitment to connection."

Nearly eight decades after King George VI made his historic speech, with help from his communications instructor, Speakeasy is forming leaders through the process of developing their communication.

-Doris Bucher

Speakeasy Instructor Since 1980.