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Get to the Point!: Sharpen Your Message and Make Your Words Matter Kindle Edition
Every time you communicate, you're trying to do something, change something, or move someone to action. You're trying to make a point. But the only way to make a point is to have a point. And the surprising truth is, very few communicators know their points or even understand what a point is, rendering them pointless.
Communications expert Joel Schwartzberg says a point is not just a topic, an idea, or a theme. A real point is a proposition of value. It's a contention you can propose, argue, illustrate, and prove. In this concise and practical book, you'll learn to identify your point, strengthen it, stick to it, and sell it. Whether you want to improve your impact in speeches, staff meetings, pitches, emails, PowerPoint presentations, or any other communication setting, Schwartzberg's novel approach teaches you how to go from simply sharing a thought to making a difference. Which would you rather do?
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherBerrett-Koehler Publishers
- Publication dateOctober 16, 2017
- File size1807 KB
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From the Publisher
Get to the Point!: Sharpen Your Message and Make Your Words Matter | |
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Customer Reviews |
4.6 out of 5 stars
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Price | $16.74$16.74 |
Also by Joel Schwartzberg | In this indispensable guide for anyone who must communicate in speech or writing, Schwartzberg shows that most of us fail to convince because we don’t have a point. He lays out, step-by-step, how to develop one. |
Editorial Reviews
Review
"If you don't have something to say, then don't say anything. Joel Schwartzberg takes that simple edict and turns it into a manifesto for giving talks that make a difference."
—Seth Godin, author of Linchpin
"Joel understands the key difference between effective communicators and pointless public speakers, providing step-by-step instructions to help individuals identify and make their points. I'll be sharing his expertise and insights with my own students."
—Jennifer Doody, writing and public speaking instructor, Harvard University, and President, World Class Words
"Good ideas too often get lost in a jungle of muddled thinking. In Get to the Point!, Joel Schwartzberg supplies useful tools to deliver your points with impact and elegance."
—David Brancaccio, Host and Senior Editor, Marketplace Morning Report
"Get to the Point! does just that. This quick guide will help any busy professional become a more persuasive and effective speaker. Joel provides hard-won wisdom and makes it easy to apply, thanks to clear writing and great examples."
—Lowell Weiss, former presidential speechwriter for Bill Clinton
"I'm in a profession that often looks at the presentation, representation, and misrepresentation of fact, and figuring out how to make a point to my audience with a clock ticking is crucial. Schwartzberg sketches out a simple tool kit on how to know, make, and sell your point. Whether you're writing a broadcast story to deadline, prepping for a speech, appearing on a panel, or crafting a PowerPoint presentation, his book is worth a close read."
—Hari Sreenivasan, Anchor and Senior Correspondent, PBS NewsHour
"If you ever need to make a point—which is all of us, and often—this is a must-have guide to understand it, sharpen it, and convey it with precision and impact. Using clarity and humor, Joel makes the case that the best ideas deserve to be sold, not simply shared."
—Betsy Berg, Senior Vice President of Speakers and Lecturers, Agency for the Performing Arts
"Want to deliver a great speech? Then find the point you are making. Identify it, hone it, and deliver it simply and concisely. This is the message of Joel Schwartzberg's excellent new book. Today's audiences have the attention span of a gnat. Get to the Point! will give you a step-by-step guide to grabbing and keeping the attention of your audience."
—Mark Ragan, CEO, Ragan Communications
"You get only one chance to reach your audience and make your message count. Schwartzberg lays out the definitive guide for how to make sure you get your message out to the right audience, the way they want to hear it."
—Peter Shankman, Host, Faster Than Normal podcast
"I hope Get to the Point! sells well—but not too well. Because if every speaker absorbed the contents of this wee volume, every speech would be a vital speech, and professional speechwriters would be obsolete."
—David Murray, Editor and Publisher, Vital Speeches of the Day, and Executive Director, Professional Speechwriters Association
"Loaded with pointed advice from a master public communicator, this book will punch up your delivery and sharpen your skills for any speech, toast, proposal, or presentation. Schwartzberg reveals his best secrets here—from maximizing those critical first seconds to ensuring your last words deliver a wallop. Get to the Point! is your appointment with public-speaking success."
—Brad Dunn, Chief Digital Officer, Athlon Media Group/Parade
"Joel offers pragmatic tips and insight on how to present your best self, regardless of your experience in communications. The insight and individual attention Joel provided our managers during training yielded results almost instantaneously, and I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to be a better, more effective communicator regardless of who and how big the audience is."
—Risa Weinstock, President and CEO, Animal Care Centers of NYC
"For all of us who have endured the pain of a dull presentation from a coworker, boss, or employee, only to arrive at the end and think, 'Not only was that boring, but I still have no idea what this guy was trying to tell me,' Joel Schwartzberg has the remedy. Get to the Point! clearly explains the problem and presents simple solutions to help salespeople sell, managers manage, leaders lead, and influencers influence."
—Josh Steimle, founder and CEO, MWI, and author of Chief Marketing Officers at Work
"I love Get to the Point! for its point, clarity, simplicity, and brevity. If I were forced to select only one book for all the technical presenters I've coached through the years, this would be it."
—Dianna Booher, bestselling author of Communicate Like a Leader and Creating Personal Presence
"Get to the Point! practices what it teaches. It is on point, makes a much-needed point, and gets to the point without INFObesity. It's a joy to read, and it's also funny. What's not to like?"
—Sam Horn, CEO, the Intrigue Agency, and author of Got Your Attention?
"Mark Twain once said everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it. Everyone complains about the challenges of getting messages to cut through in the 21st century, but Joel Schwartzberg has actually done something about it. Get to the Point! walks you through the mechanics of making a contention or a proposal so that the audience or person you want to reach gets what you're talking about, understands why it matters, and then takes the action you want. This slim volume should be required reading, whether you're a company doing an annual report, a seventh grader doing a book report, or somewhere in between. It's that simple, incisive, and applicable. Highly recommended!"
—Douglass Hatcher, Vice President, Executive Communications, Mastercard
"From the first page to the last, Joel Schwartzberg practices what he preaches about getting to the point with clear, concise, conversational language and concrete examples, providing priceless practical advice for communicating more effectively across a variety of fields, disciplines, professions, and topics."
—Jill Swenson, PhD, former Ithaca College journalism professor and former professional writing coach
"Schwartzberg uses contemporary examples we can all relate to, and reminds us of the importance of clear and concise messaging."
—Roberta Matuson, President, Matuson Consulting, and author of The Magnetic Leader
"Get to the Point! offers a blueprint for the formulation and delivery of effective points in speeches. A former national speaking champion and a highly regarded strategic communications trainer, Joel offers principles that will be useful for life in general as well as the boardroom, the classroom, and the workplace. The incorporation of humor makes this guide a quick and pleasant read inviting the audience to refer back to it when needed. His disdain for abstraction shines through with powerful examples of effective messaging and sound approaches to the modern-day dilemma of communicating ideas. He wrestles with the idea of selling but lands squarely on the side that acknowledges we all sell regardless of our perceived role. Joel's writing style is clear, informative, and persuasive. Using evidence and anecdotes, he makes the case quickly and effectively for why having a specific point is vital. His selected stories have wide applications. These concepts can help people develop as speakers and also provide powerful distinctions between having a point and having a topic. Joel provides a robust step-by-step outline that takes you from topic formulation through the effective delivery of your message."
—Will Baker, Director, Global Debate Initiative, New York University, and Chief Information Officer, Baker Consulting Associates
"Joel provided one of the most user-friendly trainings I have received in my professional career, and Get to the Point! covers all that information and more. I can honestly say that after one day with Joel, I picked up several tips that I believe will make me a more effective speaker. I would highly recommend him and his book for experienced and novice communicators and pretty much anyone in between."
—Daniel Elbaum, Assistant Executive Director, American Jewish Committee
"Finally, a book with actionable tools that shows you how to make a point and stick to it. After reading it, I immediately rewrote the opening to a speech I was about to give. If you have something important to say, take Joel’s advice and use it."
—Allison Shapira, founder and CEO, Global Public Speaking LLC, and Harvard Kennedy School lecturer
"Read this book and you'll not only get to the point but always be spot on. Joel Schwartzberg helps you develop clarity and credibility as an expert—regardless of your field."
—Christine K. Clifford, CEO, Christine Clifford Enterprises, and coauthor of You, Inc.
"Joel Schwartzberg provides tremendous value in this little book, so don't let the size fool you. The strategies in Get to the Point! will force you to rethink every presentation and help you make your point more effectively. I loved it."
—Fauzia Burke, President, FSB Associates, and author of Online Marketing for Busy Authors
"Get to the Point! delivers on this promise, enabling you to effectively get to, stick to, and make your point. Clear, helpful, and succinct, the lessons enabled me to communicate more effectively to all my employees, clients, and vendors."
—Jeremy Miller, founder and CEO, FSAstore.com/HSAstore.com
"Chock-full of clearly written, easy-to-apply tips, Get to the Point! is a no-nonsense guide to communicating efficiently and effectively."
—Monique Visintainer, Senior Director, Executive Communications, and Speechwriter for the President, Concur
"Having sat through countless presentations, I am always desperate for speakers to actually get to the point. Business leaders everywhere should buy copies of this book and dole it out like candy to their teams to see their communication capabilities transform overnight."
—Allison Hemming, founder and CEO, The Hired Guns
"The most audiences will take away from a presentation is a single point. If you want to be memorable, Get to the Point! offers a valuable framework for how to make that happen."
—Ken Goldstein, Chairman, ThriftBooks Global, and author of Endless Encores
"Get to the Point! is relevant to every one of us. No matter what role we play in life, we are constantly communicating, and Schwartzberg shows us how our words can more effectively lead us to whatever success we desire. His step-by-step process helps us examine the points we are making and shows us how to put them to a test of believability and significance. He even takes us further into the specifics of how to enhance our message by staying focused and by adding value. I suggest you give this book to yourself so you can learn how to get to a point and make it more quickly. And I recommend giving it to others so more of our conversations can be clear and meaningful."
—Doreen Hamilton, PhD, founder of Essential Speaking
"Providing a clear road map to get to the point, Joel sharpened my message, transformed my impact, and can do the same for you."
—Joshua Ehrlich, executive coach and author of Mindshifting
"Joel Schwartzberg's approach is thought-provoking yet practical. He engages readers and students with a unique delivery and shares new tools and techniques that are essential for both students and seasoned professionals."
—Stephanie A. Mattera, spokeswoman and Adjunct Professor of Public Relations and Corporate Communications, New York University
"Joel Schwartzberg is a master of helping speakers learn the art of narrowing an idea into riveting points designed to engage, motivate, and inspire audiences. The stunning approach in Get to the Point! combines Joel's wit and humor along with award-winning experience to lead any communicator to a higher level of speaking acumen."
—Penny Joyner Waddell, EdD, Director, Public Speaking Program, Gwinnett Technical College; author of Going from Stress to Success; and CEO, SpeechShark public speaking app
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Get to the Point!
Sharpen Your Message and Make Your Words Matter
By Joel SchwartzbergBerrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
Copyright © 2017 Joel SchwartzbergAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5230-9411-0
Contents
Acknowledgments, viii,Introduction, 1,
1 The Big Flaw, 3,
2 Know Your Point, 7,
3 Make Your Point, 23,
4 Sell Your Point, 29,
5 Tailor Your Point, 35,
6 Stay on Point, 39,
7 Strengthen Your Point, 45,
8 Complete Your Point, 59,
9 Five Enemies of Your Point, 63,
10 Train Others to Make Points, 73,
11 Cases in Point, 77,
Conclusion, 105,
Recommended Reading, 107,
About the Author, 109,
Index, 111,
CHAPTER 1
The Big Flaw
In more than ten years as a strategic communications trainer, I've seen one fatal presentation flaw more often than any other. It's a flaw that contributes directly to nervousness, rambling, and, ultimately, epic failure, and most speakers have no idea that this flaw is ruining their presentations:
They don't have a point.
They have what they think is a point, but it's actually something much less.
And here's the deal:
* You have to have a point to make a point.
* You have to have a point to sell your point.
* You have to have a point to stay on point.
Many articles about public presentation shallowly advise you to "have a clear point" or "stick to your topic" but leave it at that. Nowhere have I seen the critical missing piece: how to formulate an actual point and convey it effectively. It's like a nutritionist simply telling you to "eat well," then handing you a bill. Good luck with that.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Simply put, without a point, you don't know what you're talking about. What you end up with — and what we see so often now in many different settings — is too many people making speeches and not enough people making points.
Once a presenter has a point, the next most important job is to effectively deliver it.
What do I mean by effectively? Simple: If the point is received, the presenter succeeds. If the point is not received, the presenter fails — regardless of any other impression made.
As you read this, you're probably imagining a classic public speaker in front of a packed audience. But the truth is, every time you communicate, there's always a potential point. Whether you're giving a conference keynote speech or a Monday morning status report, talking to your mother or your manager, composing an email or creating a PowerPoint, having a real point is critical to getting what you most want from that interaction.
This book will help you make the most of those moments by showing you how to identify your point, leverage it, nail it, stick to it, and sell it. It'll also show you how to overcome presentational anxiety and train others to identify and make their own points.
Of course, knowing you need a point is useless if you don't know what a point is ... and most people don't. Let's start with the basics, kicking off with a famous "I believe."
CHAPTER 2Know Your Point
We all know a thing or two about points. After all, we refer to points all the time:
"Get to your point!"
"What's your point?"
"Please stick to your point."
Yet all too often, people confuse a point with something else: a theme, a topic, a title, a catchphrase, an idea. We believe a good speech can simply be about supply-side economics, the benefits of athleticism, the role of stepmothers, or the summer you spent in Costa Rica.
But none of these are actual points.
Imagine a child's history paper on the American Revolution. If you asked him for his point, he might say it's about the American Revolution.
That's a topic.
He might also say it's about George Washington and the Founding of America.
That's a title.
He might even say it's about the role of perseverance in American history.
That's a theme.
But a point is unique.
A point is a contention you can propose, argue, defend, illustrate, and prove.
A point makes clear its value and its purpose.
And to maximize impact, a point should be sold, not just shared or described.
So what does a true point look like? It should look something like this:
A politician's point: "My plan will expand home-buying opportunities for the middle class."
A CEO's point: "This investment in R&D will ensure our company continues to stay relevant."
A vendor's point: "My unique services will make you more profitable."
An advocate's point: "This movement will save lives.
Ajob interviewee's point: "I will help your department accomplish its goals."
A mother's point: "Saving that money now means you'll be able to buy something even bigger later."
A surefire way to know if you have a real point — and successfully create one — is to apply a simple three-step test, followed by two bonus "point-enhancers":
Step One: The "I Believe That" Test
Step Two: The "So What" Test
Step Three: The "Why" Test
Enhancement One: Avoiding Split Ends
Enhancement Two: Adding a Value Proposition
These steps are the bread-and-butter of this book, so you may want to find your highlighter and take breaks to apply these recommendations to your own points and subpoints. The best way to learn these tips is to apply them right away.
Step One: The "I Believe That" Test
This is a pass/fail test, and it boils down to this:
Can your point fit into this phrase to form a complete sentence?
"I believe that _____________________________________________."
For example, you can't say, "I believe that the American Revolution." Or "I believe that George Washington and the Founding of America." Or even "I believe that the role of perseverance in American history." These are fragments, not complete sentences, and your fifth-grade English teacher would not be happy.
But you can say, "I believe the American Revolution gave our country an enduring democratic identity."
Some more grown-up examples:
You can't say, "I believe that innovations in IT."
But you can say, "I believe that innovations in IT will make us more efficient."
You can't say, "I believe income inequality."
But you can say, "I believe income inequality is America's biggest domestic challenge."
You can't say, "I believe that investing in infrastructure."
But you can say, "I believe that investing in infrastructure is the best way to prepare for our future."
Try this test right now with a point you occasionally make or might make to your colleagues, boss, or potential clients. Then see if what you thought was your point was really something else.
Once your point passes the "I Believe That" Test, move on to Step Two. If it's not quite there yet, keep working at it until your "I believe that" is grammatically sound. If you need inspiration, read some of the "I Believe" statements that separate the chapters in this book.
Step Two: The "So What" Test
The "So What" Test roots out points that pass the "I Believe That" test but may be too shallow to serve as the foundation of a meaningful presentation. These weak points are often truisms. A truism, by definition, is inarguably true, so there's no use proposing one, whether your point is that "world peace is a good thing" or "ice cream is delicious."
You might also call this the "duh" test.
You can tell if your point is too shallow or a truism by asking two questions: "Is there a reasonable counterpoint?" and "Can I spend more than a minute defending this point?"
More point-focused versions of those earlier examples could be "Ice cream is always a better dessert than frozen yogurt" and "The United Nations is critical to preserving world peace."
These are points that can be argued with support from logic, data, or case studies.
Being able to distinguish between a shallow argument and a substantive one is crucial to making a meaningful point.
Now let's put Steps One and Two together.
Example One:
"The 2016 Election" = Not a point
(Flunks the "IBelieve That" Test)
"The 2016 Election was a huge news event." = Not a point
(Passes the "I Believe That" Test, but it's too shallow — there's no counterpoint.)
"The 2016 Election changed the conventional rules of running for President." = A point!
(Passes the "I Believe That" Test and requires analysis to make the case)
Example Two:
"Facebook's new privacy features" = Not a point
(Flunks the "I Believe That" Test)
"Facebook has new privacy features." = Not a point
(Passes the "I Believe That" Test, but it's clearly true.)
"Facebook's new privacy features substantially protect their users." = A point!
(Passes the "I Believe That" Test, and it's something worth contending.)
Almost every professional communication — and even most personal ones — can be improved by highlighting a point. A student once challenged me on this by suggesting that the person who introduces speakers or simply welcomes an audience doesn't have a point.
Indeed, "Introducing Samantha Speaker" isn't a point.
But "Samantha Speaker's ideas will help us become more effective project managers" certainly is.
"Hello and welcome!" isn't a point.
But "The learnings from this conference will make your Human Resources processes more efficient" certainly is.
By this time, you probably have a usable and substantive point — imagine it as the tip of a #2 pencil. But ask yourself this: is it the sharpest point possible? The answer to that will come from Step Three.
Step Three: The "Why" Test
The "Why" Test is crucial to ensure you're not using meaningless adjectives — what I call "badjectives." These are generic adjectives that only add dead weight to your point.
Compare these two columns of adjectives:
Column 1 Column 2
Excellent Urgent
Great Profitable
Wonderful Efficient
Amazing Unprecedented
Very Good Galvanizing
The adjectives on the left are nearly worthless in comparison to the ones on the right. When we say something is "great" or "very good," there's little indication of scale, reason, or specific meaning. Yet speeches and written reports — and more than a few Tweets — are often loaded with badjectives.
If you're using badjectives, or have a suspicion you are, start the correction by saying your fully realized point aloud.
Next, ask yourself: "Why?" and answer that question.
Example One:
I believe hiring a social media manager is important.
(my?)
Because she can help us build positive buzz around our product.
Now eliminate the badjective "important," and connect the first part ("I believe hiring a social media manager ...") directly to the last part ("... can help us build positive buzz around our product."):
I believe a social media manager can build critical buzz around our product.
Example Two:
I believe our marketing strategy is weak.
(Why?)
Because it focuses too much on product benefits and not enough on customer needs.
Like in the previous example, connect the first part directly to the last part, eliminating the badjective "weak":
I believe our marketing strategy focuses too much on product benefits and not enough on customer needs.
Audit your presentation materials constantly to root out badjectives and replace them with more meaningful adjectives.
Better yet, don't use an adjective at all and make the point through example.
For example:
Not Good:
"Adopting this protocol will be great for our company."
Good:
"Adopting this protocol will be very productive for our company."
Better:
"Adopting this protocol will allow our operations to run more efficiently."
All points, but which makes the strongest case to you?
Using badjectives is like when a Little League coach says "Come on now, Johnnie!" versus "Keep your eye on the ball as it comes to you, Johnnie!" One has little-to-no value, whereas the other makes a useful point.
Remember: You don't want to be your point's cheerleader; you want to be its champion.
Enhancement One: Avoiding Split Ends
Often, a speaker will sneak two or more points into one using "split ends":
I believe moving our files to the cloud will (1) improve our carbon footprint and (2) make us more efficient.
If your point suffers from split ends, no shampoo will help. Whatever you gain by squeezing in multiple ideas, you lose twice over by diluting the impact of each. The audience is not only forced to divide its attention among multiple points but is also given no direction as to which idea is most relevant.
In most cases, you can spot the strongest one based on your organization's mission and your audience's highest interests.
In this case, "make us more efficient" is likely stronger than "improve our carbon footprint" because "efficient" speaks to cost savings, higher productivity, and higher profits, whereas "carbon footprint" connects mostly to specific environmental concerns. (Of course, if you're at an environmental conference, flip that priority.)
Whatever specific idea you choose, know that removing a detail from your point doesn't mean it must be banished from your presentation. There's always room in a presentation to include multiple elements as "added benefits" or "extra considerations," but the key is to avoid details and words that detract from your main point.
Enhancement Two: Adding a Value Proposition
In many cases, you can enhance your point by incorporating the highest value proposition. What's the greatest impact your idea will effect? It may be a way to cut costs, a way to help low-income children succeed in school, a way to sell more toasters, or a way to save lives, but your audience — not just you — must recognize it as a substantive benefit.
Compare these points, which pass Steps One and Two:
(I believe) this measure will enable us to make smarter financial decisions.
(I believe) my educational proposal will raise student test scores.
(I believe) this approach will improve our marketing effectiveness.
(I believe) this innovation will optimize hospital operations.
to these:
(I believe) this measure will dramatically cut our costs.
(I believe) my proposal will help low-income children succeed in school.
(I believe) this approach will enable us to sell more toasters.
(I believe) this innovation will save more lives.
In too many communications, declarations don't go as far as they can to achieve full impact. If your idea can save lives, protect the peace, or make tons of money, why not use those magic words to sell your point? Push yourself beyond positive metrics and short-term benefits to sell the ultimate goal — the stuff of your hopes and dreams, not of your To Do lists and status reports. This will truly activate your audience.
Don't Get Attached to the Words
Last tip: Don't get too attached to the words. Some point-makers — especially writers and lawyers — write a "perfect point" and then treat it like gospel or a set-in-concrete mission statement. This tactic comes with some peril: if you forget some of those precise words midway through your point, your presentation may go off the rails because you didn't give yourself room to improvise. Your true goal as a communicator is to convey your point, not a precise arrangement of words, so feel free to use your vocabulary flexibly — just be sure your point remains concise.
Now let's put all of these ideas together in two real-world examples:
Example 1: NPR Pledge Drive
If you listen to NPR regularly, you may dread the pledge drives — extended periods when they often steal airtime to ask for donations. It's annoying and repetitive, but necessary to meet their financial goals. Below is an evolution of that donation point from a relatively flat point to its most powerful incarnation, and the prompts that take it there.
You should donate to public radio.
(Why should I?)
Donating to public radio is important.
(Why is it important?)
Donating to public radio supports quality programming.
(Which does what?)
Donating to public radio helps expose vital truths.
(Where do I send the check?)
There's a dramatic difference in impact between "You should donate to public radio" and "Donating to public radio helps expose vital truths." The point immediately elevates from a generic plea to an urgent proposal. That's the power of the point.
Example 2: Taylor vs. Denzel
If you want to see clear consequences of knowing and not knowing your points, check out these award acceptance speeches from two of our biggest entertainment superstars. (They're easy to find and watch on YouTube).
Start with the end of Taylor Swift's February 15, 2016 speech accepting the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. It went like this:
As the first woman to win Album of the Year at the Grammys twice, I want to say to all the young women out there: There are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success, or take credit for your accomplishments, or your fame. But if you just focus on the work and you don't let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you're going, you'll look around and you will know that it was you and the people who love you who put you there, and that will be the greatest feeling in the world. Thank you for this moment.
Nailed it. A clear and singular "I believe that." A clear value presentation. No rambling — she got in and out efficiently. I'm not sure if Taylor memorized that speech or not, but she clearly knew the point she wanted to make, and made it effectively.
(Continues...)Excerpted from Get to the Point! by Joel Schwartzberg. Copyright © 2017 Joel Schwartzberg. Excerpted by permission of Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Product details
- ASIN : B072F49KHY
- Publisher : Berrett-Koehler Publishers; 1st edition (October 16, 2017)
- Publication date : October 16, 2017
- Language : English
- File size : 1807 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 129 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #127,246 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Joel Schwartzberg is a communications coach and writer whose clients represent industries and interests including healthcare, financial services, biopharmaceutical science, cybersecurity, personal insurance, and civil rights. He recently served as Senior Director of Strategic and Executive Communications for a major nonprofit in New York City, and has held senior-level communication and editorial positions with Nickelodeon, PBS, and Time Inc. Interactive.
An expert in the practice of successful presentations and point-making, Joel's articles have appeared in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, MSNBC, and Inc., and he's been the featured guest on many business and communication podcasts. Joel is also a former public speaking state and national champion who was inducted into the National Forensic Association Hall of Fame in 2002.
Joel is the author of "Get to the Point! Sharpen Your Message and Make Your Words Matter" and "The Language of Leadership: How to Engage and Inspire Your Team," and his personal essays have been published in The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, The New York Daily News, The New York Post, New Jersey Monthly, and several Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies.
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Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
-The author proves his thesis in example after example without being boring or redundant.
-The book is concise, while being prolific.
-I highly recommend to aspiring public speakers and writers.
If you want to learn how to improve your speeches and presentation, this book gives practical advice to start enhancing them right away.
My only complaint is that the Kindle Edition has at least one serious error not found in the print version. That surprised me as I assumed the Kindle edition would be more up to date, not less.
Top reviews from other countries
Book was easy to follow, filled with examples and was very practical.
A great recommendation for those who want to sharpen their speaking skills quickly.
I wouldn't recommend it.