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Make thyself a craftsman in speech, for thereby thou shalt gain the upper hand.
—Inscription found in a 3,000-year-old Egyptian tomb
If you can't tell a book by its cover, at least the title should make clear what you are getting for your money. Power_Speak: Engage,_Inspire,_and Stimulate Your Audience promises—and delivers—a lot.
I have designed this book to be an all-encompassing aid for anyone who has to speak in public, whether that means a meeting with your boss, an important phone call, or a formal presentation to a hundred people. You can follow the chapters in order as in a course text, or you can study them one at a time, as you need them. If you do all the projects, follow the self-evaluations, and practice the exercises included, I guarantee you will become a Power Speaker.
Power_Speak addresses a problem that almost everyone in the business world today faces: how to increase your personal and professional "power" in order to make more sales, to move up to a better position, or to be more effective in your present position. The way you speak greatly affects how you are perceived in meetings, during phone conversations, and in all your daily one-on-one relationships.
Everyone wants to be considered strong, confident, dynamic, and convincing. The "power" in the title comes from how people perceive you: Effective communicators are perceived as more powerful than their less verbal counterparts. Getting this power to work for you involves two steps: recognizing how crucial public speaking is and then improving your own abilities. This book is designed to sharpen those abilities in a way different from that of any other book on the market.
I have designed this book to answer all the questions that have come up during my years of teaching and to provide practical and professional techniques to be a complete guide to public-speaking success. The book is divided into the following six sections:
Getting ready. Why speaking adds to your power, how to banish fear, and how to prepare a presentation thoroughly.
The six major speaking faults. What they are and how to avoid them. This fault system works because people learn more quickly if they focus on what to avoid, rather than study a long list of the things they need to do right.
The trouble spots. An in-depth look at the mechanics of openings, transitions, conclusions, questions and answers, and visual aids.
The fine points. These chapters are filled with expert tips on power words and language, handling humor, stage managing, improving body language, and more.
Special speaking situations. Handling the media, audio- and video-conferencing, reading a speech, and moderating and facilitating meetings.
How to keep improving. Be your own coach and develop, polish, and celebrate your own unique style.
Each chapter covers an area that, once mastered, adds to your power as a speaker. To help you learn and put techniques to work immediately, the chapters also include practice exercises and projects that highlight the most important concepts. Where appropriate, I have also included handy checklists and questionnaires that will help you evaluate other speakers, track your own progress, and be prepared for all speaking situations.
This interactive format makes PowerSpeak a veritable course in public speaking and presenting; if you take the time to take advantage of this format, you will learn not just by reading but by doing—before you have to give your next presentation.
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