Present Like a Pro: The Field Guide to Mastering the Art of Business, Professional, and Public Speaking

It was the second year of veterinary technician school and I had to give my first five minute speech about animal sheltering. This was a topic close to my heart because I am a cat behavorist and having worked with shelter cats for more than five years. However, I have aspergers and it is hard for me to communicate with a group of people or to communicate my message effectively. I thought that I would never be able to. I read this Present Like a Pro before vet tech school and noticed that it more than prepared me for the day that I had to give the speech. I ran through the book again while in vet tech school to reread some of the tips it provided on giving a solid presentation. I got a 97% on my final speech and my teacher was impressed how far I came. You see... I avoided every speech that was assigned in high school and middle school because I was too scared and shy to present to people. I thought I could never do it. But by reading this book and a few other communication books like Speak Strong by Meryl Runion, I was prepared to give it my all.

According to Cyndi Maxey and Kevin E. O'Connor, authors of "Present Like A Pro," (St. Martin's Griffin 2006), a professional level speaker always ends unexpectedly. When I first read that I thought "Huh?" But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how correct Maxey and O'Connor are. Too many speakers feel they can just end by saying "and in conclusion, my three key points are blah, blah, and blah." Your ending is a great place to shine by showing flashes of creativity--don't blow it. Some speakers do end unexpectedly because they seem to run out of gas. They say "That's it, any questions?" That's not the sort of ending unexpectedly you want to emulate. The key is to surprise with unexpected value, insight and sometimes emotion. Maxey also writes that "a pro is ready to edit on the spot." This means that if you think you are going to have 30 minutes to give a presentation and then you are told at the last minute that you only have fifteen minutes, you aren't going to whine and complain to the organizers or the audience. Because you have such a deep grasp of your subject matter and the needs of your audience, you can instantly figure out what to cut from your speech and still make the strongest impact on your audience. The highest level pros may even go so far as having a second PowerPoint ready with a drastically reduced number of slides just in case the time for the speech has been reduced. "Present Like A Pro" also does a great job of chronicling all the different times, places, and ways in a speech where speakers apologize. Now I have often admonished speakers to avoid apologizing in speeches, but Maxey and O'Connor say it best when they advise "Don't include apologies at any point unless the roof falls in." These authors do an excellent job of crystallizing the highest goals for the advanced speaker; it isn't about avoiding um's or having well structured content. Ultimately, a speech by a professional is about the experience created for the audience. "The Experience is what an audience wants and needs." Yes, Yes, Yes--and this doesn't just apply to so-called motivational or feel-good speakers. Thousands of books have been written on how to give a good speech. "Present Like A Pro" is one of the rare books in the genre that will deliver the inside secrets you need to be a GREAT speaker.

This book is a bit outdated. It is an okay guide for basic knowledge and tips on presenting. The layout is easy to follow and the information is organized well. I just wish it was a more inspiring book.

I am new to the world of professional presenting, and to me this book is a very thorough introduction to the topic as well as a good reminder to those with some experience who are committed to continuous improvement. Many of the chapters seemed like common sense - from using the language of one's listeners to rehearsing beforehand to gathering feedback afterward - and yet when I read through these chapters, I realized that knowing is not the same as doing. I for one have seen talented presenters who clearly did not rehearse enough and could benefit from using this book on a regular basis as a checklist. Other chapters contain valuable information that was new to me, such as guidelines for interacting with meeting planners and contingency plans for times when a co-presenter doesn't show up. Also, I liked that Maxey and O'Connor include pep talks throughout and communicate the positive attitudes needed by successful presenters. I will refer to this book as I develop presentations and have already recommended it to a friend who is working to expand his presentation skills. ~ Karen Field Bolek, author of How to Apologize to Your Woman...so that she won't use it against you in the future .

I had the pleasure to meet Kevin a corporate training day a few week sbefore purchasing the book. I found him to be one of the most relevant, grounded and effective speakers I had ever attended. Once I found he had co-authored this book, I bought it within days. This book is one of the finer books on public speaking I've ever reviewed. The beauty of it is in it's ability to be used in many ways. For instance, if you just want to hit key chapters relevent to your particular engagement it even offers which ones to read. It also offers a end-to-end approach which I think flows well for those who need a complete point of view in their speaking. I would take issue with a previous review noting the lack of A\V embesshiments to speaking such as powerpoint... This is a book on building successfull tactics to speaking. It offers key strategies to prepare, connect and flow with your audience. I have always dreaded speaking myself, not out of phobia, but out of a lack of confidance to think on my feet. This book really identifies why a good presenter has made themselves good and how we can use those same techniques. I have attended a few "be a better speaker" workshops which focus on a few of the ideas presented here. The difference in this book is in it's completeness and relevence. I will bring it with me to every speach I make from now on.