Summary

"From strategy to tactics, the 51 commonsense 'truths' in this book are useful, practical, and easy to adapt. Even reading just a few chapters will help to make you a better speaker. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to the executive speakers I work with."--Jan Botz, Executive Director, Chief Communications Officer, Dow Corning Corporation.

Author Biography

James O'Rourke is Professor of Management at the University of Notre Dame, where he directs the Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Communication.

Introduction	p. vii
Some Initial Truths
Public speaking is not easy, but it's certainly doable	p. 1
The key to success is preparation	p. 5
Rehearsal is essential	p. 9
Emulating good speakers makes you better	p. 13
Establish goals for your presentation	p. 17
A presentation is a learning occasion	p. 21
The Truth About Getting Ready to Speak
Talk is the work	p. 25
Know what your audience is looking for	p. 29
There is a difference between speaking and writing	p. 33
Preparing a presentation is a relatively simple process	p. 37
Begin by analyzing your audience	p. 41
Know your audience	p. 45
The Truth About What Makes People Listen
Understand what makes people listen	p. 49
Your speaking style makes a difference	p. 53
Anticipate the questions your audience brings to your presentation	p. 57
Listening matters	p. 61
Being an active listener brings real benefits	p. 65
You can overcome the barriers to successful communication	p. 69
The Truth About Developing Support for Your Presentation
Develop support for your presentation	p. 73
Understand the power of your content	p. 77
The kinds and quality of evidence matter to your audience	p. 81
Structure can help carry an inexperienced speaker	p. 85
Find support for your presentation	p. 89
Use the Internet to support your presentation	p. 93
The Truth About Getting Up to Speak
Select a delivery approach	p. 97
Your introduction forms their first impression	p. 101
Begin with a purpose in mind	p. 105
Keep your audience interested	p. 109
Conclusions are as important as introductions	p. 113
Have confidence in your preparation	p. 117
Repeat the process as often as possible	p. 121
The Truth About Managing Anxiety
All speakers get nervous	p. 125
Recognize anxiety before it begins	p. 129
Deal with nervous behaviors	p. 133
Keep your nervousness to yourself	p. 137
The Truth About Nonverbal Communication
Most information is transferred nonverbally	p. 141
The nonverbal process can work for you	p. 145
Nonverbal communication has specific functions	p. 149
Nonverbal communication is governed by key principles	p. 153
Nonverbal communication has an effect on your audience	p. 157
The Truth About Visual Aids
Visual aids can help your audience understand your message	p. 161
Understand visual images before you use them	p. 165
Choose the right visual	p. 169
Use PowerPoint effectively	p. 173
Consider speaking without visuals	p. 177
The Truth About Handling an Audience
Assess the mood of your audience	p. 181
Answer the audience's questions	p. 185
Handle hostility with confidence	p. 189
The Truth About What Makes a Presentation Work
Know as much as possible about the location	p. 193
Use the microphone to your advantage	p. 197
Know your limits	p. 201
References	p. 205
Acknowledgments	p. 207
About the Author	p. 209
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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Excerpts

Introduction Harvard Business School professor John Kotter studied a number of successful general managers over a five-year period and found that they spend most of their time with other people, including subordinates, their bosses, and numerous people from outside the organization. His study found that the average manager spends just 25 percent of his time working alone. Most of that time with others, Kotter found, was spent talking and listening--and a sizable fraction was spent presenting ideas and actions to others. Similarly, management consultant Dierdre Borden found that successful managers spend about 75 percent of their time in verbal interaction with others: on the telephone, face-to-face, in meetings, and in presentations to large and small groups. The fact is, most information in contemporary business and social settings is passed orally, and our most important ideas are frequently formalized in presentations to clients, customers, shareholders, superiors, and key decision makers. You can't avoid it. At some point soon in your career, you're going to be asked to give a presentation. The problem is that most people are genuinely apprehensive about doing that. We can compose a memo, letter, report, or e-mail in the quiet and comfort of our home or office, but standing in front of a group to offer our thoughts--or to motivate them to action--is simply frightening to many people. Like it or not, during a presentation you're being evaluated by everyone in the audience. You're being sized up, critiqued, and assessed. For those 15 or 20 minutes, your value to the organization, your career...your future are on the line. No wonder people get nervous. I've been teaching public speaking to business school students, government and military officials, and professionals in all lines of work for more than 35 years, and I've learned one simple truth about public speaking: It's not easy, but it's certainly doable. I've helped people overcome fears, anxieties, and apprehensions of all sorts and watched them go on to wow an audience with their presentation skills. If they can do it, so can you. This book, simple and compact as it is, can do three things for you. First, it can help you to diagnose your current speaking abilities It can help you size up your skill levels and get some sense of whether you're "ready for prime time." Second, it shows you the standards of the North American marketplace. Point-by-point, you find the expectations of the business and professional world. Finally, this book gives you the toolkit you need to prepare, improve, and present. It's all here, neatly tucked into 51 Truths. The most important truth to be learned, however, is this: Great presenters weren't born that way. They became great by focusing on their message, the needs of the audience, the pattern of organization, and the details of presenting. Persistence, dedication, and a little practice can go a long way toward making you a top-notch public speaker. The details are straight ahead. Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.