Give Your Speech, Change the World: How to Move Your Audience to Action (Paperback)

~ (Author) "THE ONLY REASON TO GIVE A SPEECH IS to change the world..." (more)
Key Phrases: Get Technical, The Audience-Centered Presentation Process, Choreograph the Kinesthetics (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Do you remember the topic of the last speech you heard? If not, you're not alone. In fact, studies show that audiences remember only 10% to 30% of speech or presentation content. Given those bleak statistics, why do we give speeches at all? We give them, says communications expert Nick Morgan, because they remain the most powerful way of connecting with audiences. In this book, he offers a new, audience-centered approach to public speaking. Through entertaining and insightful examples, Morgan illustrates a 3 part process--focusing on content development, rehearsal, and delivery--that will enable readers of all experience levels to give passion-filled speeches that move audiences to action.

About the Author

Nick Morgan is Editor of the Harvard Management Communication Letter and founder of Public Words, a communications coaching company.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Harvard Business Press; 1 edition (February 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591397146
• ISBN-13: 978-1591397144
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #248,296 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is about giving speeches, May 8, 2008

By	Tom Carpenter "- www.sysedco.com" (Marysville, OH) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

The concept of giving a speech is very different from the more general concept of public speaking. For example, a trainer who teaches a class for five days is a public speaker; however, she is not really giving a speech. A speech is shorter in nature and very focused. One might argue that a training class is just a collection of speeches, but this is untrue. The public speaker - acting as a trainer - must involve the audience more so that they really learn and retain the information. The public speaker - acting as an orator or speech giver - does not have the same demands placed upon him.

Why all this discussion of speech versus training? Because this book seems to indicate that it is about public speaking (the back cover says, "There are several universal truths about public speaking") in general, but it is really about giving a speech. I point this out because the research shows that many recommendations in the book are completely wrong when applied to training though they are correct when applied to speeches.

For example, recommending that you do not use slides (I won't say PowerPoint because there are many presentation tools used for delivering slides) is a great suggestion for a speech but a horrible recommendation for training. Visual aids are absolutely and scientifically proven to improve the learning process in a training event. Slides should definitely be used to represent processes, show technical concepts and so on in a training class. The question is this: are you going to get extremely technical in a speech? It's doubtful; however, if you are, you should probably use handouts with the speech.

This is why I gave the book four stars. I think it's one of the best books I've read on giving speeches; however, it is not the best book on the more general topic of public speaking - which includes training. The back cover should be clearer about the focus of the book. Believe the cover and not the description is the best advice.

In fairness though, there aren't a lot of good books about public speaking in general that give the right advice for the varied types of presentaitons. You usually do need to get a book on the specialized mode of presentation in which you'll be involed. This book is an excellent one for giving speeches.

I'd recommend Beyond Bullet Points as another excellent book that shows how slids can be effectively used in a speech and Life is a Series of Presentations for a general resource on public speaking.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You'll regret you didn't read this ten years ago, June 17, 2007

By	Kevin Gentry (Fairfax, Virginia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As soon as you dive into Nick Morgan's recommendations for effective speechmaking, you'll start nodding your head in agreement.

Maybe his suggestions aren't earth-shattering. But boy do they make a lot of sense.

After all, why have arguably hundreds of thousands of speakers for several decades now all willingly accepted their posts behind podiums and delivered their comments into attached microphones? Or, why have panelists just as willingly accepted their positions behind draped tables, rising above the crowds assembled below? More importantly, why have so few speakers questioned what it is, exactly, that might interest, excite and motivate their audiences?

Nick Morgan offers highly valuable recommendations to you. If you ever make presentations in public, you must buy and read this book before you embark on your preparations.

Again, it's not rocket science. But in a way, maybe it is, since no one has seemed to challenge the (boring) speech-making orthodoxy until Nick Morgan has with this wonderful book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best speech book I've Seen, January 16, 2006

By	G. E. Kugler "Ed Kugler - nomoreBS - Author o... (Big Arm, Montana United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

here was a pleasent surprise. here is a book that works for the pro or the novice. It outlines the mechanics of giving an outstanding speech in detail. In here you'll find a step by step guide that is the best I've seen and I read a lot of books. I highly recommend this book.