Numbers
15-second beginning, 25–27
A
adjectives
comparing, 13
rooting out, 14–15
advocates, 9
“Ah Counter,” 65–66
Ailey, Alvin, 28
“And” Test, 63–65
anxiety. See also nervous energy
overcoming, 70
relieving, 25
apologies, 66–67
arguments, 11
attacks, responding to, 42, 99–100
audience
anticipating needs of, 35–36
connecting to, 49
moving closer to, 48–49
removing obstacles between, 48–49
thought processing, 54
authority, conveying, 46–47
award acceptance speeches, 19–21
B
beliefs
comparing, 17
conveying, 48
questioning, 14
bicycle-messenger analogy, 24
Blanchett, Cate, 62
book reports, avoiding, 29–30
C
CEOs, 8
Chamberlain, Wilt, 44
communication, starting strong, 25–27
communicators. See “great communicators”
conference panels
completing sentences, 100–101
knowing names, 98
making points, 98–100
preparing points, 97
respecting audience, 100
responding to questions, 97–98
responding versus reacting, 101
self-awareness, 102
strategic story, 99
supporting data, 98
confidence, conveying, 46–47
conversations, intimacy of, 48–50
Creed, Linda, 72
D
Davis, Viola, 53
declarations, maximizing, 17–18, 45–46
delivery, importance of, 25
delivery-guy analogy, 60
DHI (Department of Homeland Security), 68–70
E
Einstein, Albert, 105
bullets, 88–89
facts, 90
grammatical errors, 90
paragraph length, 90
proposals, 90
recommendations, 90
solutions, 89
subject lines, 88
suggestions, 90
employees, training to convey points, 73–74
ending point, allowing to set in, 61. See also points
enemies of points. See also points
“and,” 63–65
apologies, 66–67
DHI (Department of Homeland Security), 68–70
nonsense words, 65–66
speed, 67–68
executive internal communications
brevity, 93–94
burying points, 92–93
ending with aspirations, 94
saying thanks, 94
statements, 92
F
fast talking, 67–68
final point, allowing to set in, 61. See also points
first word, knowing, 26–27. See also words
five-and-five rule, 85–86
Fox, Michael J., 76
Frank, Anne, 58
G
gender-specific challenges, 51–53
“great communicators,” 23–25
H
Houston, Whitney, 72
I
“I Believe That” test, 9–13
ideas, selling, 29–30
interviews, 41
J
job, knowing, 23–25
job interviewees, 9
Kardashian sisters, 53
Kennedy, Robert, 38
King, Martin Luther, Jr., 6
M
Marshall, Garry, 72
Masser, Michael, 34
meetings, calling in to, 49
“more is less,” 64
mothers, 9
mumbling, correcting, 50
N
nervous energy, transferring, 49. See also anxiety
nonsense words, 65–66. See also words
notes, making for speeches, 79–80
NPR pledge drive, 18–19
O
Obama, Barack, 48
Obama, Michelle, 52
P
panels
completing sentences, 100–101
knowing names, 98
making points, 98–100
preparing points, 97
respecting audience, 100
responding to questions, 97–98
responding versus reacting, 101
self-awareness, 102
strategic story, 99
supporting data, 98
pausing, 54–56
performance reviews
challenges and examples, 95–96
overview, 95
recommendations, 96
periods, ending talks with, 45–48
personal stories, 99. See also stories; strategic stories
pivots, 41
pizza-delivery analogy, 60
pleas versus proposals, 18–19
“point-enhancers,” 9 points. See also enemies of points; final point
conveying, 29–30
defined, 8
ending with, 59–61
examples, 8–9
knowing, 70
making in email, 88–90
reinforcing, 39–40
sneaking in, 15–16
staying focused on, 40–42
versus themes, 8
three-step test, 9
versus titles, 8
versus topics, 8
training others, 73–74
unveiling, 79
politicians, 8
PowerPoint
bullets, 85–86
five-and-five rule, 85–86
readability, 86
sentence length, 85
slides, 83–88
using, 83
practicing
out loud, 70
speeches, 81–82
public speaking. See speaking
R
Reagan, Ronald, 48
Roosevelt, Eleanor, 104
S
Salie, Faith, 53
scripts, reading from, 78–79
selling language, using, 33. See also words
selling points, avoiding book reports, 30–32
sentences, ending, 50
sharers versus sellers, 30–32
“So,” avoiding starting with, 26
“So What” test, 11–13
speaking, practicing out loud, 70
speaking quickly, correcting, 50
speaking quietly, correcting, 50
speeches
making notes, 79–80
practicing, 81–82
reading from scripts, 78–79
telling strategic stories, 82–83
unveiling points, 79
winging it, 80–81
speed, 67–68
split ends, avoiding, 15–16, 65
staff, training to convey points, 73–74
staff meetings, 91
standing while speaking, 49–50
starting strong, 25–27
“sticking the landing,” 59–60
stories, telling, 82–83. See also personal stories; strategic stories
strategic stories, telling, 82–83, 99
Streep, Meryl, 52–53
strength, conveying, 46–47
success, measures of, 25
Swift, Taylor, 19–20
T
Taylor vs. Denzel, 19–21
TED speakers, 49
tests
“I Believe That,” 9–13
“So What,” 11–13
“Why,” 13–15
themes, 8
thoughts, processing by audiences, 54
titles, 8
Toastmasters International, 65–66, 74
topics, 8
U
uptalk and upspeak, 46
V
value proposition, adding, 16–18
vendors, 8
video, practicing with, 81–82
vocal fry, 53–54
volume
croaking, 53
increasing, 50–51
W
Washington, Denzel, 20–21
“Why” test, 13–15
winging it, 80–81
words, detaching from, 18–21. See also first word; nonsense words; selling language