Amazon.com Review
Communication coach Tony Jeary estimates that we make one hundred presentations every day. He tells readers, "Whether you are talking to a soccer coach or potential client, the way you present your thoughts and ideas to people have a profound effect on the shape of your life." Jeary paves the road to friendly persuasion with theory and practice in
Life is a Series of Presentations.
Drawing upon established research in the psychology of influence and neuro-linguistic programming, he guides readers to define their "presentation universe" by using a "3 Dimension" (what-why-how) outline. Although Jeary introduces eight general practices of successful presenters, he shines in describing the practical nuances of presentations including how to: do homework to understand an audience, cut tensions that interfere with rapport, give an audience breathing space, handle hecklers, wrestle stage fright to the ground, and build a presentation arsenal of anecdotes.
A call to self-awareness adds depth to his strategies. For example, one insightful chapter lists eight inhibitors (such as perfectionism, desire to please, aloofness, and good student syndrome) that sabotage presentations. Another section focuses on the anatomy of how to say "thank-you"--and what it communicates about a speaker’s self regard. At times, the chapters suffer from too many theories backing up Jeary’s smart suggestions. But this is an insightful book on how to change someone’s mind. --Barbara Mackoff
From Publishers Weekly
The title might be a bit of an overstatement, but the basic idea is solid: executive coach Jeary (with the help of media coach Dower and former Doubleday editor Fishman) convincingly points out that presidential elections, careers, fortunes and even lives can hang in the balance between a good presentation and a bad one. This remarkably thorough book extends the art of presentation beyond mere delivery skills to the work of anticipating (and preparing for) the mind of an audience, predicting typical personalities in a crowd (not just hecklers, but also "snipers," "cheerleaders," "vacationers" and "convicts"), and promoting audience involvement. (Jeary himself, aka the trademarked Mr. Presentation, carries a stack of one-dollar bills that he peels off and hands to audience members when they contribute to his talks.) Cognizant that public speaking ranks alongside death and flying as common fears, Jeary stresses rigorous practice and preparation in order to eliminate problems and banish nervousness. Another useful chapter draws upon the work of Dr. Robert Cialdini to outline the six "most successful techniques for influencing people": reciprocation, commitment and consistency, social proof, liking, authority and scarcity. Jeary's book also manages to avoid the stodginess of most Toastmaster guides and public speaking manuals, making this volume a helpful and readable guide to presenting in public.
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