Claptrap – World in Action
Max Atkinson’s 
academic background:
From 1974-1986, he was a fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford, having formerly lectured at the universities of Lancaster and Manchester. He was a visiting professor at the Henley Management College from 1986 to 2006 and has also been visiting professor at Duke University, North Carolina and the universities of Vienna and Stockholm .
He was recently elected to a Fellowship of the Academy of Social Sciences and was given a lifetime achievement award by the UK Speechwriters’ Guild.
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Speaker-training for business leaders:
He’s helped managers in numerous companies and organisations in the UK and abroad to improve their presentations, often working individually with CEOs and other board level executives.
Speaker-training for political leaders:
In 1985, he ran a seminar on speech writing in the Reagan White House, and was a close advisor on presentation and communication to the late Paddy Ashdown throughout his leadership of the Liberal Democrats (1988-1999) and when he was the international community’s High Representative in Bosnia Herzogovina.
“Neither politicians nor business leaders can lead today without the ability to communicate with audiences. They have two choices: (1) be born with the ability, or (2) read Max Atkinson’s books and learn.” – Michael Sheehan (speech coach to Bill Clinton and president, Sheehan Associates, Washington, D.C.)
“No one surpasses Atkinson in the rigor and clarity with which he spells out how to move audiences to applause, get quoted in the media and become known as the most brilliant presence on any podium.” – Clark Judge (former speechwriter to President Ronald Reagan and managing director, White House Writers Group, Washington, D.C.
Although Max no longer runs large-scale courses these days, he is still actively involved in writing speeches and coaching individuals on speechwriting, speech-making and presentation.
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His books include:
Lend me Your Ears: All you need to know about making speeches and presentations
Our Masters’ Voices: The Language and body-language of politics
Seen & Heard: in politics, in the media and around the world
Contact details:
Atkinson Communications, Rose Cottage, Perch Hill, Westbury-sub-Mendip, Wells, Somerset, BA5 1JA
Max Atkinson welcomes readers who add comments about the website or via Twitter.