Dean Brenner

Communication Expert & Sailing Champion

Dean Brenner

Communication Expert & Sailing Champion

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Biography

Dean Brenner is a recognized expert on team and leadership communication in the 21^st century who has coached and led professional and athletic teams his entire adult life, from Fortune 500 corporate board rooms to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, and the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England.

As the president of The Latimer Group—a coaching firm focused on creating powerful verbal communication—he assists clients in articulating their message in order to lead more effectively, sell more successfully, and raise more capital by developing persuasive communication skills. His first book, Move the World: Persuade Your Audience, Change Minds, and Achieve Your Goals, was published in 2007. His second book, Sharing the Sandbox: Building and Leading World-Class Teams in the 21st Century, was published in June 2012.

In his keynotes, Brenner presents complex topics simply and draws on all aspects of his life—from his dealings with corporations on five continents to his time serving as chairman and team leader of the US Olympic sailing program (he has won seven national and five international sailing championships, and narrowly missed a spot on the 2000 Olympic sailing team, finishing 2^nd at the national selection trials). He speaks from the perspective of an executive coach, an athlete, a leader of teams, a member of teams, a mentor to Olympic athletes, and a husband and father. His keynote topics focus on team communication, team leadership, and how the realities of the 21^st century impact our communication.

Dean Brenner earned an MBA in finance from The Olin School of Business at Babson College; an MA in Shakespearian literature from The University of Warwick, England; and a BA in English literature and government from Georgetown University.

Speaker Videos

Alpha Graphics Annual Conference

Speech Topics

Lessons from the Olympic Games: How to Build a World-Class Team

Dean Brenner led the US Olympic Sailing Program for eight years, from 2004 through 2012, and served as team leader for the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Teams. In this presentation Brenner shares thoughts and concepts on team building, leadership, and teamwork, all based on his experiences working with and leading a team of world-class athletes.

Unexpected Wind Shifts: How to Perform at a High Level in Challenging Times

The 2012, the US Olympic Sailing Team entered the Olympic Games with great momentum and high expectations. Under Dean Brenner’s leadership, the team and the program had been on a steep growth curve for eight years. Yet, despite the high expectations, this team returned home from London with zero medals. This was the first time a US Olympic Sailing Team had failed to win any medals since 1936. In this presentation, Brenner will share thoughts and concepts on dealing with disappointment, and how to keep your team on track even when the results don’t meet expectations.

Sharing the Sandbox: How to Be a World-Class Teammate

As a business culture, we spend enormous amounts of time and money teaching “leadership” skills, and all of that is valuable. But we rarely spend any time teaching people how to follow. In this presentation, Dean Brenner discusses the art of “followership,” and how being a better follower will not only strengthen your organization and your team, but will also make you a better leader.

Move the World: The Art of Verbal Persuasion

Persuasion is at the heart of business success. The people who can articulate the point clearly, make their point quickly, and persuade their audience to think or act in a certain way, will have significant competitive advantage. In this presentation, Dean Brenner shares his concepts on how to communicate value more clearly and use your words and your actions to get the results you seek.

Testimonials

"I’ve worked with Dean and heard him speak many times. His messages on teambuilding, leadership, and effective communication are always clear, powerful, and highly motivating, and they have had a profound impact on me both as an Olympic athlete and as a business owner. Any event with Dean as a keynote will have a significant impact on everyone in the room."

- 2004 and 2008 US Olympic Sailing Team Participant

"I’ve had the pleasure of hearing Dean Brenner speak on several occasions. He always gives practical and insightful advice on the challenges of building, leading, and motivating an organization. I’m always impressed by his clarity and by how much his words stay with me."

- Group Publisher, Sailing and Cruising World Magazines

"Dean Brenner is an engaging and articulate keynote speaker who makes everyone in the room feel like they are having a one-on-one conversation with him. He has a great way of distilling the big issues of great communication down to their essence, so that when I walk out of the room after his talk, I feel like I know exactly what to do next."

- Chief Executive Officer, Harken USA

"I’ve seen Dean Brenner speak on many occasions, as a keynote for corporate sponsors and in organizational meetings for our national sailing team. Dean’s message is always a wonderful combination of relevant, highly-focused information, given in a way that is easy to understand and execute. He works hard to meet his audience where they are, and give them information they can use quickly to be more effective. He’s authentic, energetic, always well-prepared, and he speaks directly to his audience in a warm and engaging way. For all these reasons, Dean’s messages always resonate and have an impact on his audience. Your time with Dean will be a highlight on your agenda."

- Associate Executive Director, US Sailing