Slashdot Mirror
Confessions of a Public Speaker
brothke writes "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 book doesn't just provide helpful hints, it attempts to make the speaker, and his 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." Keep reading for the rest of Ben's review.
Confessions of a Public Speaker
author
Scott Berkun
pages
238 pages
publisher
O'Reilly Media
rating
8/10
reviewer
Ben Rothke
ISBN
0596801998
summary
Professional speaker Scott Berkun reveals the techniques behind what great communicators do
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 PowerPoints; rather they are excellent communicators with a strong message.
While other books focus and stress the importance of creating good PowerPoints, 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 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 sensitive to that.
Chapter 6 — the Science of not boring people — is perhaps the best chapter in the book, where Berkun takes a look at a fundamental problem with many public presentations, they are simply boring. The chapter describes an experiment in which heart-rate monitors were strapped to listening students during lectures. Their heart rate peaked at the start of the lectures and then steadily declined. Berkun notes that with this depressing fact, it's easy to understand why most lectures are slow one-way trips into sedation. Our bodies, sitting around doing little, go into rest mode, and where our bodies go, our minds will follow."
Berkun also writes of perhaps what is the biggest bane of having to listen to a speaker, death by PowerPoint. Far too many speakers lack relevant content and try to make up for that with fancy PowerPoint presentations. Berkun notes that far too few people create their content first. Rather they put their ideas immediately into a PowerPoint, with the hope that good content will magically emerge. The message Berkun says repeatedly and which speakers should take to heart, is that content is what matters, and not the sacred PowerPoint.
The reason for so much death by PowerPoint is that many speakers are seduced by the style of the presentation and get caught up in the fonts, videos, graphics, and more, and lose all context of the points that they want to make. Berkun concludes that the problem with most bad presentations is not the slides, the visuals or any of the things that most people obsess about; rather it is the lack of thinking.
The book also stresses the importance of good feedback for the speaker to grow into a better speaker. The challenge is that most attendees are reticent to give effective rebuke to the speaker. Berkun says the best way to overcome this is for a speaker to videotape themselves, and be merciless with themselves, extracting what their mistakes are.
The last chapter is "You Can't Do Worse Than This" is made up of stories of disastrous experiences from various public speakers. The chapter is exceptionally insightful and entertaining. Perhaps the funniest story was when Larry Lessig was invited to be a guest at a conference in Georgia (as in Eastern Europe) and after the introduction, was unexpectedly told that he was to give a one-hour talk comparing the German, French and American constitutions, with special insights for Georgia.
Overall, Confessions of a Public Speaker is a very well-written, entertaining and engaging overview of the art of public speaking. For those that are contemplating public speaking, or want to improve their current aptitude, it is impossible that after reading the book, they won't be a better speaker. For those that simply want to know what goes into, and what makes a really good presentation, Confessions of a Public Speaker is also a worthwhile book to read.
Ben Rothke is the author of Computer Security: 20 Things Every Employee Should Know.
You can purchase Confessions of a Public Speaker from amazon.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
While other books focus and stress the importance of creating good PowerPoints, 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 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 sensitive to that.
Chapter 6 — the Science of not boring people — is perhaps the best chapter in the book, where Berkun takes a look at a fundamental problem with many public presentations, they are simply boring. The chapter describes an experiment in which heart-rate monitors were strapped to listening students during lectures. Their heart rate peaked at the start of the lectures and then steadily declined. Berkun notes that with this depressing fact, it's easy to understand why most lectures are slow one-way trips into sedation. Our bodies, sitting around doing little, go into rest mode, and where our bodies go, our minds will follow."
Berkun also writes of perhaps what is the biggest bane of having to listen to a speaker, death by PowerPoint. Far too many speakers lack relevant content and try to make up for that with fancy PowerPoint presentations. Berkun notes that far too few people create their content first. Rather they put their ideas immediately into a PowerPoint, with the hope that good content will magically emerge. The message Berkun says repeatedly and which speakers should take to heart, is that content is what matters, and not the sacred PowerPoint.
The reason for so much death by PowerPoint is that many speakers are seduced by the style of the presentation and get caught up in the fonts, videos, graphics, and more, and lose all context of the points that they want to make. Berkun concludes that the problem with most bad presentations is not the slides, the visuals or any of the things that most people obsess about; rather it is the lack of thinking.
The book also stresses the importance of good feedback for the speaker to grow into a better speaker. The challenge is that most attendees are reticent to give effective rebuke to the speaker. Berkun says the best way to overcome this is for a speaker to videotape themselves, and be merciless with themselves, extracting what their mistakes are.
The last chapter is "You Can't Do Worse Than This" is made up of stories of disastrous experiences from various public speakers. The chapter is exceptionally insightful and entertaining. Perhaps the funniest story was when Larry Lessig was invited to be a guest at a conference in Georgia (as in Eastern Europe) and after the introduction, was unexpectedly told that he was to give a one-hour talk comparing the German, French and American constitutions, with special insights for Georgia.
Overall, Confessions of a Public Speaker is a very well-written, entertaining and engaging overview of the art of public speaking. For those that are contemplating public speaking, or want to improve their current aptitude, it is impossible that after reading the book, they won't be a better speaker. For those that simply want to know what goes into, and what makes a really good presentation, Confessions of a Public Speaker is also a worthwhile book to read.
Ben Rothke is the author of Computer Security: 20 Things Every Employee Should Know.
You can purchase Confessions of a Public Speaker from amazon.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
One thing everyone should also always remember is that you will usually suck at things when trying the first time. Public Speaking fear comes mostly from the lack of experience and that if you fail at something during it, lots of people will notice as they're all watching you.
Like with everything else, humor helps. If you fail, laugh or joke it off and continue. It's not really a big deal.
It's pretty much the same thing when people on their teenage years (and later if it's a really hot girl) fear talking to them. They think it's going to ruin their world. Once you've got used to messing up with girls, hot girls too, you will notice it's not really a big deal. Laugh at it, she probably will do. If you're scared of that, fail with a girl intentionally to see how she responds. It's quite an eye-opener and you will not really fear failing again. It's ok, and public speaking and talking with random girls is successful only if you can also fail successfully and continue.
An apostrophe is not used to signal "look out! here comes an 's'".
Sorry, but a book review is no place for grammatical errors. Furthermore, if you ever hope to get published in the wider world... making a generic term out of a trademarked name is a big no-no. They are not Powerpoints... they are Powerpoint presentations... I know you used the correct term in part of your review, why not in all of it?
I knw this isn't really a forum for critique of your writing style... but that blatant misuse of the apostrophe is glaring so brightly I had trouble reading the rest of your review.
"Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
We don't get out in public enough to worry about public speaking.
read Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds and you'll (almost) never use a bullet list again.
The biggest problem I've found with public speaking is that often the speaker really does not want to be giving a talk, and so it's kind of forced. Sure, they may be interesting people with a lot to say, but for this 30-minute, or 60-minute, or whatever it is slot, they've been assigned to do it, or are doing it for money, or are doing it for some other reason besides, "really have something I want to say to this audience".
I see this a lot as an academic--- in computer science, conferences have in a lot of areas displaced journals as the primary publication venues, so people mainly submit to a conference to get their paper published in the proceedings. Then the conference rolls around, and they have a 20- or 30-minute slot to fill. Some people really have something to say in that slot, but others, whether through inclination or the subject matter, really don't, and give essentially a very long and drawn-out version of, "just read the damn paper".
Of course, some technical improvements to talks---use of figures, non-monotone voice, etc.---can make them more engaging, but it doesn't really solve the underlying problem. In the academic-conference case, it basically transforms a boring 20-minute ad for the paper into a somewhat amusing 20-minute ad for the paper--- but still not a good talk.
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
In most cases, the apostrophe is used to replace a space followed by a letter. For example, in the word "they're" the apostrophe replaces a space followed by the letter "a" in the original "they are". In the word "it's" the apostrophe replaces a space followed by "i" from the original "it is."
In the non-possessive form of "PowerPoint's", the apostrophe is obviously intended to replace a space followed by the word "presentation".
It's not a grammatical error, it's an error in conflicting substitution tables. :)
"This post contains words, known to the State of California to cause thought. Wash brain thoroughly after reading."
--Democratic Party.
It's NOT me! It's the meds! I'm on 1000mg of Fukitol.
They'll give you plenty of practice.
It's NOT me! It's the meds! I'm on 1000mg of Fukitol.
What public speaking is all about is about gaining and maintaining the audiences genuine interest and attention. If you don't have at least some of these things, they will slowly fade into oblivion. I learned this quickly in the Corps, where I learned how to start off (first impressions are very important) with a loud booming voice introduction, followed up by some sort of attention grabber (Usually a random video). If the audience doesn't want to engage, engage them. Ask them questions. Randomly pick out a person to pick on (with the right amount of humor for the audience, for Marines a thorough degradation sufficed =). Do not become like the officers always do, which is addicted to fancy powerpoints. When he says stick to content that is the truth. Yes it can be boring to go over the correct way to clear a multi-story building with civilians in it. But something as simple as having a handful of guys standup and demonstrate an action etc makes the engagment contagious. If you make it fun, people will respond, if you don't, they will go comatose (and remember whose fault that is).
"It's ok, I'm completely secure as long as my iron is off"
If you are shy and afraid of public speaking, don't despair. Anyone can learn public speaking -- even the shy.
I speak from experience. I was profoundly, painfully shy as a child, as a teenager, into my adult years. At the age of nineteen, I looked at my shyness and said to myself, "I want something more." So I set challenges for myself: "Go to parties and meet people." "Get up on stage and sing." And so on. This was not easy, but I made myself do it. Over the years (I'm now approaching 49) these skills gradually became second nature to me.
Shyness continues to inform my character: I'm still something like what I was before. But I'm also something more than what I was before: I'm a man who can stand up in front of strangers (or friends, for that matter), and hold forth on this or that subject, without the fear and agony that accompanied my childhood shyness.
Indeed, public speaking can be a rush. Turn that fear into an adrenaline buzz! You can do it.
-kgj
...before imagining them naked.
For instance, if you are speaking at the adult video entertainment awards, very little imagination is needed.
If you are conducting a bariatric surgery seminar for octogenarians, you may experience extensive psychological damage.
And if you are speaking at a kindergarten read-along, well that just might result in jail time
More music, fewer hits
Uh...just don't...uh...keep unconsciously...uh...saying...uh...annoying words...uh....throughout...uh...your...uh...speech.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
I don't think he's qualified to write this book. He's not a very good public speaker.
Lacks one phrase crucial to effective public speaking: "...in a van down by the river!"
I first read "The quick and easy way to effective speaking" by Dale Carnegie over 10 years ago (probably through reading amazon reviews). It was excellent then. It is excellent now. It will still be great in a hundred years time. If you have to read one book, read that one.
As long as public speech is judged by an audience of humans, the principles of engaging and holding human interest will remain unchanged even with advances in technology. A riveting public speaker is riveting without the aid of graphs, powerpoint, and especially - powerpoint animations, and they have been for thousands of years. No magical powerpoint animations are going to help the public speaker who doesn't look the audience in the eye, who doesn't know his subject matter, who is not interested in his topic, who has not thought about how to find something in his topic that relates to the audience, who has not considered how to plan his speech so that the structure leads his audience to understanding, and who does not gauge audience understanding as he goes along to prevent "losing them".
If I have seen further it is by stealing the Intellectual Property of giants.
My job is about 80% public speaking of some kind or the other. Sometimes it's a room of 20, sometimes it's 1500, and sometimes it's in a studio recording a webcast. I've been doing this for a while now and I've found a few things that helped me get started.
First you need to know your material. It's not so much a presentation as it's a one sided discussion. The more conversational you are the more you draw that audience in.
Second don't put a ton of stuff on your slides. I can't even count how many Keynote decks I've seen that the presenter just reads to the audience. A good concept to have about slides is that they are an outline with points of emphasis for the discussion. The screen isn't giving the presentation, you are!
Third on the list is to make it fun. Take an easy dig at yourself as it always loosens them up. A really easy potshot is to make fun of end users. If you are presenting to sysadmins this is an instant win. Also strive to make things interactive. Ask questions of the audience that get them to raise a show of hands. It keeps people engaged.
Next get a presentation remote and walk around the stage/screen. You can be much more physically emotive if you aren't nailed to a lectern the whole time. If it's a big enough room you will need to do this so that you don't loose the people that are far away from you.
Finally, just be confident. You are presenting because someone thinks that what you have to say is important. Take that vote of confidence and run with it.
One last tip is to watch effective speakers give presentations. They are easy to find on the web from YouTube or TED. In my group we actually will often record our own presentations and then watch them later in order to pick up places to improve. This is a game that you can always keep improving.
Ironically you sound just like my speech teacher....seriously. At my university we were required to take a speech class and in that speech class we had to hand over our notes. I repeatedly lost points because my notes weren't in the "right format"...but they are my fucking notes, why shouldn't they be in the format that I find most useful? Hopefully this book takes a much less mechanical approach.
I did let my speech teacher know my frustrations with her in a not so subtle fashion. For our midterm we were required to formulate an argument and list points supporting it. My argument was that she was a horrible speech teacher and should be fired, but since I made all my points in the required format, I got an A.
Monstar L
I found an easy solution to the resounding silence that sometimes happens, especially with uptight audiences, when you leave a nice big block of time for questions, close the monologue, then wait with rising anxiety for the hands to go up... umm... anyone? I now deliberately leave out a few fundamentals that everybody wants to know. By the time the floor is open for questions, hands shoot up for the FAQ, and snappy well-oiled answers get the room warmed up for the good stuff. Works even with the stuffiest crowd.
One piece of advice I'll add is to know as much as possible about the audience and the client's expectations. I once stumbled into an awkward situation with a keynote at a Fortune 500 international annual sales meeting (nice gig via my speakers bureau). Just as I was about to go on, the client walked over, introduced himself, and said, "oh, by the way, please avoid regionalisms and wordplay. OK, looks like you're on!" The audience was divided into blocs by country, with many wearing headphones getting live translations from workers in other rooms. Yikes. My usual engineering-humor patter, sprinkled with anecdotes, led to some awkward moments as different groups would laugh, frown, frantically take notes, or just stare blankly back at me. Took a while to adapt to that room!
Third, if at all possible, know more about the subject than anyone in the audience. Before my "claim to fame" that led to lots of gigs, I would occasionally accept conference-session invitations. More than once I would look out in the audience and see the people who created the technology I was talking about... which can be a bit intimidating. Not until I was actually speaking about my own thing did I fully relax. In situations where there is some overlap between the two extremes, I'm happy to engage domain experts in the audience.
Oh, and Berkun's advice to videotape yourself is golden - I did that early on and was horrified to see, when fast-forwarding, a cyclic physical behavior pattern that appeared with almost robotic regularity. Along with uncovering a couple of speech habits I didn't know I had, that tape was immensely helpful in debugging my presentation style.
Here are my handy hints from having given a number of talks and lecture courses:
Sorry, but a book review is no place for grammatical errors.
...
I knw this isn't really a forum for critique of your ...
A rant about grammatical errors is probably not the place for spelling errors, either.
It sounds like you're almost proud of this story, or at least feel justified in your conduct. If I misinterpreted that part, sorry in advance, but...
That's a terrible thing to do to a teacher, or anybody, really. I think you acted inappropriately, and displayed an incredible lack of maturity for someone old enough and sophisticated enough to be in college.
Also, you're flat-out wrong about whether having notes in the correct format is important. Would you get pissy with your Calculus teacher because she insisted that you show all the little nitty-gritty steps in your solutions, instead of just writing a final answer? If she docked your score because you didn't follow instructions, would you throw a temper tantrum and tell her she ought to be fired? Or how about a composition teacher who insists that you submit an outline and a rough draft, before your final draft?
BTW, are you one of those jerkoff, should-be-on-Ritalin babies who can't get his shit together, and acts out and gets mad at everybody else for the fact that God made him broken?
I think the fact that she gave you an "A", in the end, is purely a testament to her professionalism and self-control. The fact that you got the "A" doesn't really prove much about you--after all, everybody knows a speech class is an easy "A" if you just do what you're told. If anything, you should be ashamed of yourself.
I really hope you have grown up since then.