Customer Reviews

Speak Like a CEO: Secrets for Commanding Attention and Getting Results

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"As a speechwriter for past governors and other top executives, I know how important it is for business and political leaders to get their message across in a compelling and memorable way. Bates outlines the key essentials for delivering a powerful, well-received speech. Her hands-on instruction gives CEOs and other company managers practical suggestions on how they can improve their delivery, while also developing that authentic voice, which is the hallmark of all organizational leaders. The book is divided into three, easy-to-read parts: The Secrets, The Situations and the Strategies. Each combines instruction, humor and real-life situations that make the book both a useful business manual and fun to read. Bates' book is a must-read for anyone who wants to be a success in business, politics or life by becoming a great speaker."

For anyone who wants to learn about basics on how to conduct public speaking engagement in front of business audience, this is a good starter book. You will learn on how to tell the story, build the humor and keep everyone's focus in place while presenting. Like everything else in life, this skill requires preparation, practice and planning. You must not only know what you are talking about, but also know your audience too. I particularly liked the part of the book with tips on how to answer questions not anticipated during the preparation process (trigger method and making a qualifying or opinion statement).

Speak Like a CEO is a great resource for anyone who wants to improve their presentation and speaking skills - not just CEO's. Bates provides solid advice for people at all different levels starting with "what not to do" or common mistakes. This book is an easy read packed with tips and colorful examples. Great for leaders and future leaders alike!

The book was a huge disappointment. The tips in the book were not only surface level but also incredibly basic. The author is obviously right leaning as well as she celebrated McCain, Romney, and the Bush administration multiple times and took stabs at the democrats. This reads like a book that was written over the weekend to be an expensive business card to get speaking gigs. Don't waste your time or money here.

This book is about developing confidence and skills in speaking. The author encourages using coaches to develop the skills better. If you cannot get a help from a coach for some reason, you will also find useful methods and checklists how to develop your skills by practicing in front of a video recorder and then evaluating your presentations using the given checklists.

The author sets the following goals to the reader:

- keynote speaking goals: write and speak with clarity; learn to use stories to make points; develop humor and be comfortable with it; make better eye contact; appear completely comfortable and relaxed in front of the audience; use voice more effectively; speak more conversationally;
- presentation skills goals: develop confident, relaxed presentation style; present technical material so everyone understands; show relevance of solutions to audience needs; learn techniques for persuading an audience; stand in front without a podium, with confidence; use hands and gestures effectively; improve professional appearance;
- media training: develop confidence speaking to reporters; present ideas clearly and concisely; manage interviews with confidence; develop new strategies to prepare for interviews; speak in sound bites with energy and enthusiasm; deliver opinion effectively; know how to handle tough questions; show more on-camera pose for television; stay on message and deliver key points without wandering
- presentation, speech, media: speak with clarity about vision; appear comfortable and confident with board of directors; fine-tune answers to tough questions from unhappy customers; deliver strong message to media; speak conversationally to employees; motivate and inspire people to overcome a difficult solution.

There is a references and further reading section in this book . Besides the list of books that the author suggests, I can recommend "The Articulate Executive: Learn to Look, Act, and Sound Like a Leader" by Granville N. Toogood and the famous classic titles by Dale Carnegie: like "The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking" and "How to Develop Self-Confidence And Influence People By Public Speaking".

After reading this book, I am certain no one can improve their communication skills by reading a book. Great communication, as this book states, takes a lot of practice, preparation, and strategy. This book offers some helpful advice on how one can improve communication, but none will help unless the reader practices effective communication techniques with a communication coach or with organizations such as Toastmasters (also recommended by the author).

The single most important concept of this book is that communication is critical and central to a C-level executive. Nothing is more important than communication when running an organization. In fact, C-level executives spends a substantial portion of their time, if not most of their time, communicating (listening, questioning, answering, motivating, explaining etc) with other people. A C-level executive cannot be successful without having great communication skills.

Since effective communication is important, the author suggests few ways, such as hiring a speechwriter and a communications consultant, for most CEOs. At a minimum, every C-level executive should have a communication improvement plan.

I would like to give this book 3.5 stars. This isn't a bad book. It is just that books can't possibly make anyone a better communicator. Books can only enhance one's knowledge of what makes a good communicator, which is like understanding what makes a good chess player, but such understanding will never turn anyone into a good chess player himself.

I'm a professional speaker, and was critiquing this book to see if I would recommend it to others. It's a very simple read - you'll get through it in a day or so, I'm sure. It's got some good basic tips, and some interesting insights into leadership styles. The important thing is to DO what the book recommends - not just read it and think the info will infuse into your psyche!

I do recommend it - it would make a good gift for a mentee, as well.


SusanBaughman.com

"Suzanne Bates' guide SPEAK LIKE A CEO is a truly helpful tool, whether you are a regular public speaker, or a first timer. Its lessons are insightful for both intimate meetings and large media events. A wonderfully strategic overview full of handy tactical "to-do"'s."

--Michael Horwitz, Partner, BDO Seidman LLP

This is a great book for anyone looking to improve their presentation and communication skills.

While some stories were interesting to listen to; there just wasn't enough substance to the (audio)book. I didn't finish listening to it, and unless this is your first book on leadership, I would recommend against it.

More could be gotten from a public speaking book and a few leadership books (Tom Peters is my latest read who is pretty good).

Mike