Speak Smart (Smart Guides) [Paperback]

Thomas K. Mira (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1997 | Series: Smart Guides

Anyone who gets anxious about speaking in public has no doubt been given the same tiresome advice again and again. "Just open with a joke," or "just picture your audience in their underwear." If you've ever tried these suggestions, you've no doubt noticed that they are both ineffective and rather disturbing.

Nothing will help you feel more confident than having a carefully planned, thoughtfully written and well-rehearsed presentation.  Speak Smart is your roadmap to a winning performance, as this guide shows you how to:
Write and prepare captivating presentations
Decide whether to ad-lib, prepare an outline or follow a script
Set your jitters aside
Skillfully use visual aids
Be aware of your body language
Keep control of question/answer sessions

Included in the book are detailed lessons on:
Speech and nonverbal communication
Writing great presentations
Choosing a presentation format
Choosing visual aids
Preparing for the big speech
Adapting to speaking environments
Fielding questions
Speaking through the media
Diaphragmatic exercises

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Thomas K. Mira is president and chief executive of Mira Communications, a Southern California-based executive communication training and crisis management firm which has served clients like McDonnell Douglas, ARCO and TRW. Mr. Mira has served as speech coach for leading presidential candidates, members of Congress and governors. He has helped develop winning presentations for some of the largest projects in our nation's history and has served as dean at seven Young President's Organization International Universities.

Product Details

• Paperback: 150 pages
• Publisher: The Princeton Review; 1st edition (April 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679778683
• ISBN-13: 978-0679778684
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,682,270 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, easy to read book, February 9, 2005

By 

Shane A. Brewer (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Speak Smart (Smart Guides) (Paperback)

Speak Smart is a book looking at the techniques of public speaking. Speak Smart goes through all of the subtle things you don't think about when giving a talk, but really should. Things like speech preparation, how to talk (clarity, volume, etc), non-verbal communication, presentation formats are all covered.

Additional topics such as visual aids are looked at. My only problem with this book is that it is a little dated and didn't focus more on Powerpoint presentations, which is the defacto standard at most Universities. However additional sections of how to field questions from the audience, handling enemies, and how to prepare for a presentation make this an excellent read. The author also suggests other books for more information which I found to be invaluable.

The book is well laid out with the main points highlighted and repeat in a appendix for easy review. The author doesn't waste pages with useless information and his humor and wit make read this book very entertaining.

After my previous poor experiences with my last 2 Princeton Review books, I am happy to say that this is by far the best book in this series so far and I happily recommend it. 5 out of 5 stars.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Speak Smart is more helpful than the rest, June 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Speak Smart (Smart Guides) (Paperback)

Most books about public speaking are tedious to read and the content is too general to apply in my specific situation, but Mira's "Speak Smart" was the exact opposite. Mira writes with a conversational, oftentimes funny voice, and the information he has to provide on public speaking is up-to-date, accessible, and completely relevant. I highly recommend this book if you're going to be giving a speech.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not just what you say, but how you say it!, August 22, 2001

By 

"empire-builder" (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Speak Smart (Smart Guides) (Paperback)

This book is about how to speak when giving presentations, with a focus on business presentations.

It describes how to say things, with an eye toward avoiding egregious speaking blunders and getting out of unpleasant situations. There is a chapter on how to write a presentation to be interesting and informative. Included is a section on visual presentations, and things to avoid while giving them.

One appendix has a list of valuable speaking exercises targeting respiratory muscles. The other is a list of 44 speaking pointers that were developed throughout the books. You'd be wise to read it before every presentation.

This book is full of simple ways to greatly improve one's speaking skills. I recommend it along with Winning! by Noelle Nelson.