On your rise to the top, hard work and experience are important, but they can take you only so far. To lead in your industry or profession, you must be ready to assume the leader's speaking role. In survey after survey, the number-one skill determined to be indispensable to leaders is communication. Must you be born with this talent, or can you learn how to command a room?
In Speak like a CEO Suzanne Bates proves that you don't have to be a natural-born speaker to develop a compelling communication style all your own. Whether you're in the corner office or the Oval Office, at the dining room table or before an audience of millions, you'll find a blueprint to speak like a leader and get results. Not another one-size-fits-all guide to better presentations or public speaking, Speak like a CEO is a sophisticated approach based on the philosophy that successful leaders have their own unique communication styles. Its self-assessments, exercises, and customizable self-improvement plans let you zero in on your strengths as a communicator and discover your natural abilities.
As an award-winning news anchor, Bates interviewed more than ten thousand business and political leaders, celebrities, and newsmakers--and she saw them at their best and worst. Now a sought-after executive trainer with national and international clients, she is renowned for her ability to transform leaders who avoid the spotlight into bold, confident, natural speakers. In Speak like a CEO, she arms you with the same techniques that have helped her clients become communicators extraordinaire. You'll find tricks of the trade, whether speaking in front of crowds and cameras or one-on-one.
Speak like a CEO also offers you a chance to learn from the masters. You will be inspired by the advice and experience of leaders including Rudolph Giuliani, Mario Cuomo, Colin Powell, Oprah Winfrey, Jack Welch, and Richard Branson. You'll learn techniques of Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and even Abraham Lincoln. Speak like a CEO shows you how to:
- Overcome pressure and project a relaxed, comfortable presence
- Warm up any meeting and keep your audience engaged
- Discover your own authentic way to communicate
- Handle difficult conversations, interviews, and questions with confidence
- Ace the most challenging situations, including speeches, presentations, media interviews, Q&A sessions, business meetings, public debates, and more
- Create a simple, step-by-step plan so that you master every aspect of speaking
Your guide to handling any communication challenge like a pro, Speak like a CEO is one resource you don't want to be without. Whether you're on your way to the top or you've already arrived, you'll refer to it again and again.
"Speak like a CEO is a must-read for any professional who recognizes the key to success: building relationships. Whether you're giving a speech, meeting with employees, or networking with potential customers, this book will teach you how to master the art of communication so you can convey your message with warmth, authenticity, and conviction. If you want a big edge over the competition, you need to read this book!"
--Cheryl Richardson, author of Take Time for Your Life
"In Speak Like a CEO Suzanne Bates provides clear and wise advice on how to find our authentic voice. This is a truly valuable book."
Ken Blanchard, Co-author The One-Minute Manager® and The Secret
"It is neither the smartest nor the hardest working CEOs who succeed in business. It is the ones who best communicate their firm's vision to customers, vendors, and employees. Speak like a CEO shows you how."
--Tom Stemberg, CEO of Staples
"Must reading for anybody who wants to make a connection--whether it's through a TV screen, in a boardroom, or on a stage."
--Miles O'Brien, CNN news anchor
"Suzanne Bates's advice is concise and practical. Communication within your organization and with the media is critical to image and success. This book will help every executive do a better job."
--Chris Hansen, Dateline NBC
"Suzanne Bates's book provides a wealth of usable information in an easy-to-use format that will prove useful and effective for leaders in all sectors: public, private, or not-for-profit."
--Jane Swift, former governor of Massachusetts
Award-winning news anchor and top CEO communication coach Suzanne Bates arms you with powerful tools for crafting an authentic communication style all your own. And, with the help of examples from many of the all-time great communicators, she schools you in proven techniques for acing any communication challenge, including speeches, presentations, media interviews, toasts, and more.
