Confessions of a Public Speaker

Scott Berkun's "Confessions of a Public Speaker" is a refreshingly old-school book on presentation skills, if that's possible. He doesn't spend a lot of time offering tips on how to use the latest versions of PowerPoint or trying to teach you how to design slides that look slick and professional. If that's the kind of information you're searching for, you should probably look elsewhere. But if you need advice about how to construct a presentation around an effective argument and deliver it in a way that engages your audience rather than puts them to sleep, "Confessions of a Public Speaker" is a great place to get some help. As Berkun points out, the problem with most presentations isn't "the speaking, the slides, the visuals, or any of the things people obsess about. Instead, it's the lack of thinking." Rather than sitting down at the computer and creating slides at the first whiff of a public speaking opportunity, Berkun suggests that presenters first consider the needs of the audience. Who are they? What are they interested in? What do they want to learn? How are you going to keep them entertained? This step in creating a presentation may seem obvious, but it's amazing how many presenters (and people teaching presentation skills) don't spend enough time thinking about what's important to the audience. Once you've got that figured out, Berkun's next step is straight out of the way we used to teach students to write basic essays in Composition class-- get out a piece of paper and come up with an outline that includes a strong argument and evidence to back up your claims. This may seem like the plan of a Luddite in our age of software and slide-driven presentations, but it really is an effective strategy for creating a focused talk. As a bonus, if you ever find yourself having to give an "unplugged" version of your talk when your projector has died or you've forgotten to bring your slides along, your outline can be an invaluable resource. But you're not done yet! The other main theme of "Confessions of a Public Speaker" is that after you've written your presentation you still need to work hard to make sure that you engage your audience and keep them from getting bored. Because-- no matter what they say they want-- what audiences enjoy most of all is being entertained. Keep them entertained and they'll forgive all kinds of other mistakes. The good news is that audiences really want speakers to succeed and keeping their attention is mainly about not boring them. If you entertain them and give them something to think about, you're well on your way to a successful presentation. A few of the important suggestions Berkun offers for the delivery of your presentation include: Making sure you know your presentation inside and out. If you know your topic well enough you should be able to improvise when you find yourself without your slides, the technology you're relying on breaks down, or you have to deal with a difficult crowd. Pract

Every teacher at every level needs to read this book. Every salesperson will find this book makes them better at their presentations. Anyone, whether they are presenting to one person or many will find great value in this book. I've heard much of the content before but the author's writing is superb, making it easy to understand and (hopefully) to apply.

While there is a plethora of books such as Public Speaking for Dummies, and many similar titles; Confessions of a Public Speaker is unique in that it takes a holistic approach to the art and science of public speaking. The books doesn't just provide helpful hints, it attempts to make the speaker, and their associated presentation, compelling and necessary. Confessions is Scott Berkun's first-hand account of his many years of public speaking, teaching and television appearances. In the book, he shares his successes, failures, and many frustrating experiences, in the hope that the reader will be a better speaker for it. An issue with many books on public speaking is that they focus on the mechanics of public speaking. While there is nothing necessarily wrong with that approach, Confessions takes a much deeper and analytical look at public speaking. The book demonstrates that the best public speakers are not simply people with fancy PowerPoint's; rather they are excellent communicators with a strong message. While other books focus and stress the importance of creating good PowerPoint's, Confessions shows how one can rise above the PowerPoint and be a presenter of ideas to the audience. Such an approach can take a dry presentation and turn it into a compelling one. Berkun notes that while many people perceive public speaking to be a terrifying experience, the reality is that it does not have to be so petrifying. With fundamental preparations, even the most timid person can be a public speaker. While such a person will never be a speaker at the caliber of a Steve Jobs, there is no reason they can't present an enjoyable and educating presentation. The book is loaded with chapter after chapter of practical advice. Berkun also shows what to do when things go terribly wrong; from how to work a tough room, when technology fails, microphones that go bad and more. The book also provides effective techniques on how to deal with a participant, who in the course of asking a question, turns it into a monologue or diatribe. His suggestion is to throw the question back at the audience. Ask the audience "how many people are interested in this question?" If only a fraction of the audience raise their hands, tell the questioner to come up afterwards and that you will answer them. Berkun concludes that just because a question is raised, does not mean that the speaker is obligated to answer it. Some of the advice in the book is obvious, but only after you read it, such as not turning your back on the audience, and more. One of the better suggestions is rather than ending a talk with "are there any questions", use "what questions did you think I would answer but didn't? As an effective communicator, one would have thought that Berkun could have gotten his message across with less profanity. While the book is not necessarily profanity laden; it is there in numerous places. That will preclude the book from being purchased in many organizations

After grinding through far too many books on "how-to-present-better" books, I've finally found one that exceeds the promise. Scott Berkun, a former Microsoft executive who turned writer and professional speaker, practices what he preaches in his book. * This book is written for anyone who has to give presentations (public speakers, managers, teachers) - it will benefit novices to veterans - and readers in all for-profit and not-for profit industries. * This is a quick read - can be read in 1 or 2 sittings * This is a page turning "how to" book * It is written in a conversational tone packaged with excellent stories, persuasive tips, good research and "rhythmic" pace * Author is informed via real world experiences - he is honest, humble and straightforward. * He shares many usable tips and Do's and Don'ts that will stick (e.g. ask smaller than expected crowd to move up and dense-up; lose your content, ask audience for 10 topics they would like you to address; grab them early with a meaningful title for your presentation) * Finally, a readable how-to book that delivers as promised...highly recommended. * Some of my favorite excerpts include: "...when 100 people are listening to you for an hour, that's 100 hours of people's time devoted to what you have to say. If you can't spend 5 or 10 hours preparing for them, thinking about them, and refining your points to best suit their needs, what does that say about your respect for your audience's time? It says that your 5 hours are more important than 100 of theirs, which requires an ego larger than the entire solar system. And there is no doubt this disrespect will be obvious once you are on the stage." "Our bodies, sitting around doing little, go into rest mode--and where our bodies go, our minds will follow...with this distressing fact, it's easy to understand why most lectures are slow one-way trips into sedation...If you can stop boredom from happening, and stop doing things that bore people, you're well on your way to having an attentive crowd..." "A common mistake people make is to shrink onstage. They become overly polite and cautious. They speak softly, don't tell stories, and never smile. They become completely, devastatingly neutral. As safe as this seems, it is an attention graveyard." "By being enthusiastic and caring deeply about what you say, you may provide more value than a low-energy, dispassionate speaker who knows 10 times more than you do. You are more likely to keep the audience's attention, which makes everything else possible." " The easiest way to be interesting is to be honest. People rarely say what they truly feel, yet this is what audiences desire most. If you can speak a truth most people are afraid to say, you're a hero. If you're honest, even if people disagree, they will find you interesting and keep listening. Making connections with people starts by either getting them interested in your ideas or showing how interested you are in theirs. Both happen faster

I read this book online through Safari Books (a paid subscription service), so it was quite convenient to flip between the book and the author's "Latest Videos and Podcasts" (a link to his site is above, in the "About the Author" section). But you can get the same multi-media experience with the book in hand, by taking breaks between chapters so you can compare the book's advice to the author's actual public speaking performance. The speeches are interesting in their own right, covering topics of innovation and software development. It's immediately apparent that Berkun uses conversational poise and timing to keep his audience's attention. But combining the book with Berkun's online talks leads to at least two rewards. First, you can evaluate how well the speaker follows his own advice. To my eye and ear, Berkun succeeds quite well here. Secondly, the book gives you an understanding of the huge amount of work that goes into an effective talk. After reading about the importance of mastering your topic, practicing your material, and respecting your audience's investment of time and attention, you can witness the tangible benefits. You might not have the opportunity to watch Berkun's talks, or you just might find it hard to put the book down -- it is that well written. That's OK, because the book itself has plenty of good advice for public -- and private -- speakers. Blending humor with persuasion, and explanation with story-telling, Berkun describes how the speaker can manage their own emotions, keep the audience's attention, and appreciate the processes of learning & teaching. The book shows how to avoid mistakes, and how to survive them. This is done particularly well in the chapter, "You can't do worse than this". That very entertaining chapter tells the public-speaking horror stories that will help you keep your own personal catastrophes in perspective. There are only a few, very minor, annoyances: I thought the book's occasional use of profanity was distracting, and the 3-page Colophon could have been just as amusing in one page. Of course, no book (or talk) can please everyone all the time. The book gives plenty of practical advice: how to stop using verbal placeholders such "Umm"; tips on dealing with microphones, remote controls and even conference badges; what to look for in audience surveys and feedback; how to manage the audience's behavior. Whether you absorb this advice from the book alone, or from the book along with Berkun's online talks, it's a worthwhile learning experience.