I just wrote a white paper on this commencement address - called:

"An Analysis of a Storied Approach to Crafting Influential Messages"

An analysis of a recent commencement address is used to provide concrete tips and techniques for employing a storied approach to all aspects of a talk - researching, developing, and delivering.

While I am asked frequently to do keynote addresses, I’m not a huge fan of them. It’s just hard to touch people. Perform, impress, command attention, wield pulpit power and create passive hope for people are opportunities offered by keynoting. I hunger for the intimacy of inciting insights that comes from facilitated storytelling.

How could I hold the attention of a diverse audience? Could I create a fertile space of imagination to offer some tangible gifts to aid them on the next part of their journey? How would I make it be about them? Could I avoid clichés, hype, and platitudes? Would I be able to minimize perfunctory pomp and circumstances perpetuated by this genre of speech? How would I be fun and serious at the same time? Would I have to keep my message super simple with only one or two key take-a-ways or could I tackle a complex set of concepts? And could the whole address be done completely with story forms employing my authentic voice?

LINK TO WHITE PAPER:
scribd.com/doc/58721400/An-Analysis-of-a-Storied-Approach-to-Crafting-Influential-Messages