Customer Reviews

Speak from the Heart: Be Yourself and Get Results

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Heard SPEAK FROM THE HEART, written and read
by Steve Adubato . . . he's a broadcaster and motivational
speaker who shares his secrets to being a great communicator.

Listening to what Abudato grabbed my attention so
much that I then went back to get the print version--so as
to make sure I did not miss anything.

Furthermore, some of his ideas made so much sense that
I wanted to make sure I had them down exactly; for example,
his two-step approach on preparing speeches:

* Step One: Determine How You Feel About Your Primary
Message

Step Two: Ask Yourself Three Key Questions

1. What is my message? (This is the one thing you want people to
remember when you finish.)

2. Who is my audience? (What will move them? Touch them? Reach
them? What do they need or want from me?)

3. What do I want these people to do or feel when I'm finished?

I also liked the "Do It Now" activities at the end of each chapter . . . this
one, in particular, caught my attention:

* How well do you use eye contact? Starting today, notice if you look directly
into the eyeballs of the people you communicate with. If you find you have a
problem doing this consider these pointers:

1. Start small and slowly. Practice making eye contact for a few seconds at
a time. Just make contact for a few seconds and then discreetly move to
another part of the face-lower forehead or bridge of nose. You can also
look down, but only for a second or two. Then look back up and engage the
eyes again.

2. Relax. Consistent, steady eye contact doesn't mean you stare at a
person throughout the entire conversation. You need to make easy,
relaxed contact for a short while and then allow your glance to comfortably
look away and then come back.

3. Smile. Just the simple act of smiling while speaking can make eye contact
more relaxed and easier for you. Let your face show how you feel.

4. Increase the amount of time you make eye contact. Little by little it will
become less of an issue, less of an obstacle, less of a barrier. The key is
for eye contact to become second nature to you. That takes practice.

5. Concentrate. You have to give the person you're talking to your full
attention. If another person walks by who may be more "interesting" you
must make yourself focus on the person you're talking to and maintain eye
contact. Nothing is worse than talking to someone while your eyes are playing
the field. Finish your conversation with one person before you move on to the
next.

And one other thing that made this book a winner for me was Abudato's
use of real examples . . . he not only used himself, but also the
experiences of such speakers as Barry Farber, Richard Carlson, Bill
Clinton (before he became a great speaker), Kathie Lee Gifford, and
Joe Torre, to name just a few.

The book's subtitle says it all . . . Abudato urges you to BE YOURSELF
AND GET RESULTS . . . read what he has to say, and you should be able
to do just that.

This book is easy to read. It contains stories that are interesting. Provides simple guidelines to becoming a better communicator. Near the end of the book, there's even a chapter that provides insight to why men think differently from women.

As a professional speaker, I long ago learned the secret of "speaking from the heart." And, most of the better books on public speaking do in fact make this among their most important points. But, by using this critical point as his book title, Steve Adubato has brought this important concept front and center. Loud and clear!

One of the things I liked most about this book was its excellent organization. The author connects with his great title by devoting the first part of the book to "Communicating with Passion." Then, the author drills down on the specific skills that support ones ability to speak with passion.

In an age where so many books are not well organized and therefore tax the reader with developing ones own analytical framework for the subject, this book lays out a sound framework for being a great communicator. The framework is then well supported by both theory, and anecdotes that serve to effectively drive home the learning point.

At the risk of being picky, my sole disappointment is that the author acknowledges some leading self improvement greats (e.g., Dyer, Robbins, et al) as among the very best speakers, but regretfully never shares what he thinks makes each of them such a standout. Is the only learning point from these greats that they speak from the heart? Personally, I believe each of those listed draws on many of the other points made by Adubato. Given the authors clear expertise, I would have benefited even more had he shared his insights into what makes those he learned from so great.

MMMMmmmm...so Steve, is that the sequel? "Speakers from the Heart"?? I am ready to preorder that gem.