Confessions of a Public Speaker
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Product Description
Product Description
In this hilarious and highly practical book, author and professional speaker Scott Berkun reveals the techniques behind what great communicators do, and shows how anyone can learn to use them well. For managers and teachers -- and anyone else who talks and expects someone to listen -- Confessions of a Public Speaker provides an insider's perspective on how to effectively present ideas to anyone. It's a unique, entertaining, and instructional romp through the embarrassments and triumphs Scott has experienced over 15 years of speaking to crowds of all sizes.
With lively lessons and surprising confessions, you'll get new insights into the art of persuasion -- as well as teaching, learning, and performance -- directly from a master of the trade.
Highlights include:
- Berkun's hard-won and simple philosophy, culled from years of lectures, teaching courses, and hours of appearances on NPR, MSNBC, and CNBC
- Practical advice, including how to work a tough room, the science of not boring people, how to survive the attack of the butterflies, and what to do when things go wrong
- The inside scoop on who earns $30,000 for a one-hour lecture and why
- The worst -- and funniest -- disaster stories you've ever heard (plus countermoves you can use)
Filled with humorous and illuminating stories of thrilling performances and real-life disasters, Confessions of a Public Speaker is inspirational, devastatingly honest, and a blast to read.
About the Author
Scott Berkun is the bestselling author of The Myths of Innovation, and Making Things Happen. His work as a writer and public speaker have appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Wired Magazine, Fast Company, Forbes Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and other media. He has taught creative thinking at the University of Washington and has been a regular commentator on CNBC, MSNBC and National Public Radio. His many popular essays and entertaining lectures can be found for free on his blog at www.scottberkun.com.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The majority of people hate speaking in public and I'm certainly one of those. Unfortunately, particularly if you are a professional, at some point you are going to be asked to give a presentation to your co-workers, your board or at a conference. We are used to seeing highly polished performances from speakers like Scott Berkun, our politicians and other notable figures so the bar seems incredibly high for anyone just starting or who only speaks in public infrequently.
"Confessions of a Public Speaker" helps push away the anxiety. Using a lot of humour, many personal stories and a healthy dose of research, Scott educates the reader on how to construct a great talk or presentation, preparing properly, harnessing the "attack of the butterflies" in a positive way and many other tips and techniques for delivering a great performance.
The book is warmly written, giving many examples of how Scott has gone wrong over the years and is thus approachable for everyone - particularly those who lack confidence when speaking in front of a crowd. My copy is much dog-eared and underlined and every time I present I come back to it.
"Confessions of a Public Speaker" helps push away the anxiety. Using a lot of humour, many personal stories and a healthy dose of research, Scott educates the reader on how to construct a great talk or presentation, preparing properly, harnessing the "attack of the butterflies" in a positive way and many other tips and techniques for delivering a great performance.
The book is warmly written, giving many examples of how Scott has gone wrong over the years and is thus approachable for everyone - particularly those who lack confidence when speaking in front of a crowd. My copy is much dog-eared and underlined and every time I present I come back to it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
excellent insight into the professional public speaking world in a relaxed and informal way. Some excellent hints and tips. Used in conjunction with Made to stick by Heath and Heath becomes very powerful.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As a frequent public speaker I very much enjoyed this book. I think the enjoyment came from the empathy I felt for Scott Berkun as well as his humour - he has a nice turn of ironic simile, almost on a par with that of Douglas Adams or of Raymond Chandler.
The empathy arose from the approach he as taken, which is an unapologetic personal take on his journey to become a competent presenter. I found this quite refreshing. In fact, in his notes towards the end of the book, he comes clean about the power of storytelling, even though he didn't include a specific chapter or section on it.
So this is no dry, systematic treatise on the obvious mechanics of presenting - eye contact, posture, and so on - although most of the main elements are touched on at some point. No, here the reader finds lived experiences written with the visceral relevance of someone who has found himself speaking in all kinds of unpredictable contexts, written sometimes in a self-deprecating and irreverent style.
I will be recommending this to my colleagues in pearcemayfield.
The empathy arose from the approach he as taken, which is an unapologetic personal take on his journey to become a competent presenter. I found this quite refreshing. In fact, in his notes towards the end of the book, he comes clean about the power of storytelling, even though he didn't include a specific chapter or section on it.
So this is no dry, systematic treatise on the obvious mechanics of presenting - eye contact, posture, and so on - although most of the main elements are touched on at some point. No, here the reader finds lived experiences written with the visceral relevance of someone who has found himself speaking in all kinds of unpredictable contexts, written sometimes in a self-deprecating and irreverent style.
I will be recommending this to my colleagues in pearcemayfield.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
I laughed out loud and may even have learned a thing or two
Highly entertaining and inspiring romp through Scott Berkun's career (so far) as a public speaker.
Scott Berkun was a project manager for years at Microsoft, then left... Read more
Scott Berkun was a project manager for years at Microsoft, then left... Read more
Published 3 days ago by Paul Milne
Witty, conversational guide to making public presentations
Futurist and best-selling author Scott Berkun knows all about public presentations. He speaks often at high-tech conferences and other pressurized gatherings. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Rolf Dobelli
Funny and interesting! Must-read for anyone who speaks in public!
This book talks about many aspects of public speaking: why are we affraid of talking in public, and how can we avoid this? How is it to earn a living of public speaking? Read more
Published on 30 Mar 2010 by Remko Tronçon
Incorrectly titled an interesting in parts
I'll preface this review by saying I read this as part of a book group. I was told that although it was a public speaking aid, it was in itself a piece of entertainment. Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2010 by David Bowers
Practical and enjoyable - a must for any one who has to present...
As with his other books: Making things Happen and Myths of innovation Scott Berkun combines expert story telling and a command of his subject to create an entertaining and... Read more
Published on 10 Mar 2010 by Matthew Goddard
Great War Stories on Public Speaking
Really enjoyed this book and read it in a few hours. Hate to use the old cliche but I couldn't put it down. Read more
Published on 2 Mar 2010 by J. Westworth
Motivationally speaking
Most people hate public speaking but it would appear that Scott Berkun loves it. So much so in fact, that he left his regular job at Microsoft in order to make a full-time living... Read more
Published on 21 Feb 2010 by David Swallow
An engaging and confidence boosting read.
A well paced read with memorable stories and points which you can easily draw upon when faced with a public speaking situation. Read more
Published on 23 Jan 2010 by Susanne
Everybody has to speak in public
And once you've got to do it, it's better to do it well. This book offers good advice on how to do that: practice, concentrate on the audience, plan for contingencies (what to do... Read more
Published on 24 Dec 2009 by JJ Merelo
highly recommended
This is the best book on public speaking I've ever read. It tackles a serious subject in a highly readable and entertaining way. Read more
Published on 7 Dec 2009 by M. Smith
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