How to Say It For Women: Communicating with Confidence and Power Using the Language of Success (Paperback)

by Phyllis Mindell (Author) "As women enter the work force in growing numbers and at all levels, we have the historic opportunity to transform the business world..." (more)
Key Phrases: precise listening, precision listening, weak language, Perfect Your Presentations, Throw Off Your Shackles, Amelia Earhart (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Phyllis Mindell, an acclaimed expert on professional communications, shows women how to transform themselves by transforming their language; shed weak words, phrases, and gestures; empower themselves to win attention and respect; and get their ideas across with confidence and power.

Perhaps the best teacher of how the power of language can transform is an unexpected one: Charlotte the spider of E.B. White's, Charlotte's Web. Mindell demonstrates how Charlotte communicated messages that gained national attention and saved a friend's life. As a model, she combines female strengths of wisdom and compassion with the determination and power to make a difference.

As part of Prentice Hall Press's highly successful How to Say It tm series, How to Say It tm for Women is packed with practical tips, techniques, and examples that arm women to grapple with every communication issue, from choosing the right word or sentence to speaking, reading, writing, leading, dressing, and interviewing effectively. Readers will learn how to: shun words that weaken messages and make women invisible; sail through interviews; assess and develop leadership skills; say NO, kindly but firmly; respond appropriately to slurs, insults, and harassment; say the one winning word that gets people to follow directions.

True stories about women in every field, along with quotes from Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Carla Hills, Amelia Earhart, Elizabeth Dole and others, enable women to tap the power of words to persuade, motivate, establish authority, and make a difference-- without sacrificing their integrity, their compassion, or their femininity.

About the Author
Phyllis Mindell, Ed.D., founded and leads Well-Read, an international communications consulting firm. Dr. Mindell, is the author of the best-selling A Woman's Guide to the Language of Success, Communicating With Confidence and Power (Prentice Hall Press), and has helped thousands of women at every corporate level transform their language and their lives through her Woman Language, Woman Power and Well-Read Woman seminars.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall Press (January 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735202222
• ISBN-13: 978-0735202221
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #10,629 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #8 in	Books > Reference > Words & Language > Communication
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  #11 in	Books > Business & Investing > Women & Business

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

90 of 91 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book delivers on its promises, July 22, 2001

By	Kirstin Elaine Myers (Gloucester, MA United States) - See all my reviews

Dr. Phyllis Mindell begins her work with an opening that outlines the benefits you will gain as a reader, and advice for making the most of the book. Among Dr. Mindell's long list of promises are some very audacious ones, such as "influence policy decisions at the top" "improve your career" and "lead and manage successfully". Upon reading this intro, I was intrigued but highly skeptical. After all, Phyllis didn't know my particular situation, the politics in my company, or the people with whom I am dealing. How then, I wondered, could she guarantee me such dramatic results? After reading the book and seeing immediate improvement in my professional life, I understand that that is the point indeed--the issues faced by women in all professions and at all levels have common roots! Dr. Mindell has discovered the true cause of women's relative lack of success in the workplace when compared to men: a failure to appreciate and utilize the power of language. Unfortunately, we are often guilty of self-sabotage in which we undermine our own effectiveness with weak language or an attempt to imitate the "strong" language of men.Fortunately, Dr. Mindell has developed a language style for women and she teaches it in a practical, actionable way with lots of examples and tools to show the reader "how to transform your life by transforming your language". She also discusses style and dressing for success, as well as power reading, both important issues related to that of language. The book's effect on me was immediate, as I was reading it on a plane on the way to Brazil: I had to write a presentation to give in Sao Paulo and was "cheating" by using my time to read instead. However, when I got to the chapter on organizing and writing effective presentations, I simply followed the outline and got mine done in half the time. I also received many compliments for my apparent "off the cuff" speech the next day at the Energy conference. Little did they know that I had the help of an "expert"! I loved the whole book and read it in a couple of sittings although it is not a "light read" by any means. I am now recommending "How to Say it For Women" to all my women colleagues and friends. The book is a good investment and a steal at that price.

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What every woman should know!, March 9, 2006

By	Anne Hunter "Anne" (Oak Park, IL United States) - See all my reviews

I read about this book - actually, I consider it a textbook - when searching for tools on expanding my career. I usually wouldn't buy something like this, and instead look for similar information from free 'Net sources. But on a whim, I bought it, and am so glad I did. I'm not even halfway through and what I've learned already has helped me to speak and express myself in a way that gets people's attention, and has improved my professional image. One of the best tips, which comes early in the book, is catching myself using the "I think/like/don't like" phrase when I want to discuss facts. I do it, so I don't look like a know-it-all. Dr. Mindell, however, shows several ways to express facts without appearing as though I have all the answers.

The author also cites common grammar and language mistakes that keep women in the background, and prevent us from asserting our strengths and skills. The concept of Weak Language is especially intriguing; in reviewing the examples, I saw myself in almost every one. Her solutions are very attainable, but she strongly recommends practicing this new language with another woman. I have, and my women friends were amazed at how powerful this "new" language sounds.

These are hard habits to break, but with the tips and examples in this book, I'm getting better at it. And I can see the difference in how others treat me; more importantly, I feel different about myself. The book is really a life-changing experience, for someone who has never really put much thought into my "image" but is continually frustrated at not getting the positive attention for my work success as I believe I deserve. Thank you Dr. Mindell!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great basis for coursework, April 4, 2005

By	J. jarman-walsh "jjwalsh" (Hiroshima, Japan) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am using this book as a reference for my students in a business english course in Japan. Although the students find reading it cover to cover a bit too much (lower intermediate English level) when I point out specific points and pages I want them to read and understand, they really get a lot out of it. The book is written well and ideas are developed and backed up clearly. I would recommend this to any teachers of women students.