101 Secrets of Highly Effective Speakers: Controlling Fear, Commanding Attention

Rating:
Summary: Good advice for beginning speakers...
Review: As part of my Lotusphere preparation, I read the book 101 Secrets Of Highly Effective Speakers by Caryl Rae Krannich. As the title indicates, it's a series of short "secrets" (tips) on how to make effective presentations. The tips are broken up into categories such as Plan To Exceed Expectation, Build Your Body - Your Speech Body, Close With Power, and Prepare Like A Pro.

This isn't a "program" to help you overcome your fear. Instead, it's more like a buffett of ideas. Most of the ideas are common sense, and will strike you as "I know that already". If you've given presentations before, or if you're an experienced presenter, you might not take much away from the book. But if you're just starting out on the speaking trail, the information in the book will help you to focus your efforts.

Rating:
Summary: Read This Book If You Are New To Public Speaking
Review: Easy to read straight forward style. Author does not talk down to you like so many other public speaking books. Great tips on how to get started and how to improve in many, many ways. As you read each tip you know you are going to use it as the tip is so well reasoned. It would be an excellent first book on speaking. This is one of the most wisely organized books I have ever read. Dance around from subject to subject with great table of contents and index or plow though sequentially Read the book in one day.

Rating:
Summary: Sensible advice for all
Review: True to the title, Ms. Krannich outlines, in a sensible order, 101 eminently useful tidbits on public speaking. She covers everything from the speaker's posture to controlling anxiety to the actual environment of the room, giving fledgling speakers insights that might have taken years of trial and error otherwise. True, there are limitations in the user-friendly self-help style Ms. Krannich adopts. At times , things seem a little too overly simplified; at other times, she doesn't explain enough why the technique is useful. Most of the time though, she offers well reasoned common sense. Definitely useful.