Michael Crystal has worked with Fortune 500 leaders and coached executives at the highest levels, but in Bermuda, his legacy is tied to the work he has done without a fee. Much of that has been through WeSpeak, a non-profit that has spent the past decade helping women build confidence and leadership skills through coaching, boot camps and practical support.

The programme is now entering a new phase, with Leah Dean, Sarah Dunstan, Norma Nielsen, Cece Powell and Lashonna Smith stepping forward to lead its next chapter.

Malika Taylor, a WeSpeak board member and co-lead of its coaches pillar, said the shift to an all-female team reflects how the programme has evolved over time.

“There was a real need for a space where women could build confidence and learn the skills needed to speak publicly — whether in the workplace, in leadership, or in their everyday lives. The goal was to ensure more women feel ready and visible for opportunities such as speaking on panels, delivering keynotes, and contributing in meaningful places and spaces,” she said.

“That gap absolutely still exists. What’s changed, however, is the level of awareness. Women are now actively seeking these opportunities, and we’re able to give them the foundation to achieve this at a much higher level.”

Founder of Myriad Development Group and an executive coach and leadership adviser with more than 30 years of global experience, Mr Crystal saw the potential in the concept when it was brought to him ten years ago.

“Three women came to me with a vision, based on surveys they had done, that the female population in Bermuda was not being afforded the opportunity to be on panels or do keynote presentations to the same extent as males,” he said.

It was not solely a gender issue, he added, but audiences were missing out on new and different perspectives because many people had not yet had the opportunity to develop the necessary skills.

“All three of the women in question had been coached by me at one time or another, and in two out of the three specifically around presentation skills. So they thought, ‘Well, Michael might be somebody that could be of assistance to us’.”

Sitting in their host’s living room, the group started sketching out a programme, and from there the structure took shape. This led to what is now known as the “WeSpeak Seven”.

“There are typically seven criteria that are used pretty universally to measure the effectiveness of a speaker. So if we accept those as the measures and work backward, then we can talk about how to build the skills,” Mr Crystal said.

“They’re not complex, and we can teach them. A lot of people believe that presenters are born — you might be born with an inclination, but you still have to learn how to be a good presenter.”

The framework focuses on skills such as capturing attention, delivering meaningful and memorable content, activating an audience, and being both clear and grounded, while keeping the focus on the audience rather than the speaker.

At the beginning, WeSpeak was focused on the basics — helping women feel comfortable speaking and building initial confidence, said Ms Taylor.

Today, an annual boot camp brings together around 100 women for intensive public-speaking training and coaching, with more than 900 having taken part.

“We are far more expansive. We’ve built a strong community, developed talent from within, and created a platform that doesn’t just support women — but now empowers them to lead with their voices.”

The shift to an all-female team reflects years of development within the programme itself, Ms Taylor added.

“Over the years, we’ve been building, nurturing and developing women within our own ecosystem — and now we’re seeing them step forward to lead. That was always the intention. We didn’t need to look outside — we already had the talent.”

Added Mr Crystal: “Up until Covid, the number one phobia — according to the American Psychological Association — was the fear of speaking in public. It affected males and females equally, but not everyone had the opportunity to develop the skills to overcome it.”

The programme has helped tackle that.

“You would have to be in the room to see these women overcoming it. People who felt frozen at the beginning, saying ‘I can’t do this’, and before you know it, they’re doing it — and doing it well.”

He is confident that the new team will continue to develop the programme. Ms Dean has more than 20 years’ experience in leadership and organisational strategy, Ms Dunstan has a background in the non-profit sector and project management, Ms Nielsen specialises in career coaching, Ms Powell is a senior communications executive, and Ms Smith’s work spans criminal justice, education and ministry.

Mr Crystal will continue to support the programme, something he said has been deeply rewarding.

“A woman came through the boot camp, and as she was leaving, she hugged me and said, ‘You have changed my life.’ You can’t put a price on that,” he said.

“That’s what this programme has meant — it’s a movement. And when you’re part of a movement, there’s nothing that can beat that.”

• For upcoming WeSpeak events, or to learn more, visit wespeak.bm