Trust Me: Four Steps to Authenticity and Charisma (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: unconscious expertise, nonverbal conversation, Being Open, Being Connected, Principles of Persuasive Content (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Nick Morgan’s Trust Me approaches corporate and executive communication from a new and different perspective, that of the professional performer. His approach acknowledges the realities of modern business and, once you get beyond the first few uncomfortable steps where you’re thinking of a thousand things at once, you will communicate more openly, authentically, and charismatically." —Technology & Society (www.techsoc.com/trustme.htm )

Product Description

Nick Morgan shows how anyone can be an effective speaker by presenting an image of authenticity and respect for their audience, whether in a group presentation or a one-on-one conversation. He presents a four-step process, perfected in his teaching at Harvard, that enables the reader to use their own personal speaking style while becoming a more persuasive and charismatic communicator and leader. The basis of this process is the fact that when words and body language are in conflict, body language wins every time. This isn't easy to overcome, because normally body language is immediate, while the words lag slightly behind, and even a momentary conflict is perceptible to the audience. The key to success is to train your body language to unconsciously align with your message.

The four steps:

• Form the attitude and intent to be open, and then let your body naturally express that intent. This feeling of openness will naturally affect the content of what you are saying, and it's that natural evolution that is at the heart of the process.
• Become connected to your audience. This creates a mutual energy, and you will naturally begin to think in terms of what the audience wants and needs in shaping your content.
• Ask yourself, what's my underlying emotion? Why does this matter to me? Becoming passionate about what you have to say naturally makes your audience care about it too.
• Really listen to the audience. Understanding their needs and reactions will enable you to direct your communication in mutually beneficial ways.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass (December 31, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470404353
• ISBN-13: 978-0470404355
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #221,404 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cracking the code for powerful communication, February 4, 2009

By	J. P. Johnson (Ewing, NJ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I work for a large consulting and accounting organization, and I see non-authentic, non-charismatic communication every day. By contrast, it's incredibly powerful when a business leader steps up and communicates passionately, honestly, directly, and in a way that connects deeply with the audience and generates trust.

In this book, Nick Morgan "cracks the code". It's *not* a matter of chance whether you communicate the right way or the bad way. And it's *not* that "some people are born that way."

There are teachable steps you can take to up your game.

The thrust of the book is to identify 2 "conversations" that happen every time you interact with someone: the words you say (the verbal) and the nonverbal messages you send. Nick Morgan's project is to identify how you can make both of those conversations as strong as possible. He also lays out how you can make both conversations match the other, since our nonverbals often undermine our spoken messages.

Along the way, Nick lays out four aspects of achieving powerful communications. With each of these, he discusses tips and tricks for both the verbal and also the nonverbal. The four aspects are:

- Openness (sincerity, inviting the audience in, warmth)
- Connectedness (to your audience)
- Passion (for the subject at hand)
- Listening (understanding the journey you want to take your audience on, and gathering feedback all through your communication about where they are, so you can make judgments about how to move them along)

They key to aligning your nonverbals and your verbals is this insight: your nonverbals happen a split second before the synapses fire for speaking. In other words, you can't fake it. (There are parallels to method acting here.) Both the nonverbals and the verbal communication have to flow authentically from the same place.

Nick has a great writing style: intelligent and engaging. He also keeps the book lively through the generous use of illustrations and anecdotes. He is informed by the latest brain research, and lays out a sound theoretical basis for the 2 conversations. But Nick never loses sight of the practical. There are passages where you can imagine the implications have to be worked out in 1-on-1 coaching, but overall the book itself will go a long way towards helping even the most experienced communicator.

5.0 out of 5 stars I was a good speaker, now I'm a pro, June 15, 2009

By	David M. Scott "David Meerman Scott" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Nick Morgan's ideas in Trust Me have transformed my speaking.

Prior to reading the book, I was a good speaker. I was frequently booked by conference organizers and often got good scores on feedback from participants.

But after I read the book and applied the ideas, my speaking was transformed. The ideas were so powerful that I reached out to Nick and got some one-on-one coaching.

Now I am a professional speaker. And my feedback is not just good - now it is great. I am nearly always rated one of the highest speakers at the events I present to.

If you are a beginner or a pro like I now am. Trust Me will help you to become as good as you want to. (Or as good as you dare to).

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, January 18, 2009

By	A. Kinnier (Palo Alto, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Trust Me is powerful reading. It makes sense that when we communicate there are two simultaneous conversations--verbal (conscious) and nonverbal (unconscious)--where the ladder is both faster and more efficient. Learning the Trust Me way of consciously and enthusiastically listening to non-verbal cues while I am speaking has provided me new ways of understanding and connecting with those I work with.