Talks

Nonfiction and anecdotal stories from my past and speeches given at Toastmasters.

• Finding the Way: A Study in Leadership
  I found the perfect metaphor for dynamic leadership—a photograph of a train in the mountains of Colorado. Getting a train up wasn't as easy as it seems. This links my knowledge of railroads to my business school background.

• Fishing with P.F. Worthless and Francis Bye
  I became a good writer under the tutelage of my journalism professor, world-famous author Patrick F. McManus. I became a good father under the tutelage of my father-in-law, Francis Bye. The collision of those two separate worlds still brings me joy.

• Learning Art from an Artist
  It's one thing to be a fine artist and have such talent that everyone recognizes it. It's another thing to grow up in the Great Depression, when artists were viewed as non-produtive—and told their dreams had to be put on hold. My mother was one of those.

• One Brick at a Time
  Legos. Everywhere Legos. But these had a therapeutic purpose—bringing a cancer patient through the worst times. Here is one family's journey from sadness to celebration, told through the lens of a household filled with bricks.

• Snowy Road to Eagle Badge
  It took a lot of jumping through hoops, and tremendous reams of red tape, but in June 1969 I was awarded my Eagle Scout badge, six months later than I should have earned it. Blame the weather, because I did everything by the books.

• Taking My Nose Out of My Kindle
  Rolling by train across the northern United States has the benefit of a leisurely view of America—and an opportunity to chat with people from all over the world. Aboard Amtrak, I met some of the biggest characters (and a genuine fibber) in my life.

• Two AM Wakeup Call
  My college roommates were a wild bunch weaving madcap cartoon-ish adventures. They always survived their encounters with authorities—but they left a trail of incredible undertakings and ill-timed consequences.

© 2026 Michael Heavener