Some say the purpose of a New Year’s Resolution is to break a habit (a bad habit, that is!). I say bah-humbug to that… as you enter into 2013, rather than focusing on what not to do – resolve to change things up a bit and start something new! Below are 7 of my go-to resources when I want to “nail” an upcoming presentation. If you want to be confident, heard and inspiring when you step up to speak in 2013, any one of these books will boost your skill and confidence!
#7. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs, Carmine Gallo
As one Amazon reviewer put it, “Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs’s wildly popular presentations have set a new global gold standard—and now this step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to use his crowd-pleasing techniques in your own presentations.” If you ever wondered – “how did he do it?” This book tells you!
#6. Resonate, Nancy Duarte
Award-winning graphic designer Nancy Duarte offers nine “how to” strategies that are guaranteed to make your presentation standout and inspire change.
#5. Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln, James C. Humes
A terrific reference tool for novice and seasoned presenters alike. Each of the 21 chapters in this surprisingly quick read offers solid advice for enhancing your presentation skills, using examples from some of history’s most powerfully memorable speakers.
#4. Boring to Bravo, Kristin Arnold
If engagement is the name of the game, this is the book to read. Arnold offers a compendium of techniques (90, to be exact) that you can use to reinvigorate your next presentation.
#3. Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, Steve Krug
This book has nothing to do with presentation skills but everything to do with how you present information to your “audience”. Don’t Make Me Think! shows you how to put yourself in the position of the person who uses a website, the basic premise is that if you make your “user” think too hard they will just go to another site to conduct their business. Isn’t it the same when presenting? If you ask your listeners to think too hard to figure out what you are saying or asking them to do, they will simply tune out and mentally move on.
#2. Made to Stick, Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Accomplished educators and idea collectors Chip and Dan Heath offer up practical, tangible strategies for making your ideas stick – a concept that should resonate with any presenter faced with a high-pressure, high-stakes situation. Their ideas have “stuck” with me – you will often find me talking about what these authors have coined as “The Curse of Knowledge”.
#1. The Exceptional Presenter, Timothy J. Koegel
Some may say that this is not book for the seasoned presenter; however, I disagree. I don’t know anyone that is so good that they can’t pick up at least three new ideas from this book. It certainly inspired me to write several articles, provided valuable input for me to take some evolving ideas to the next level, as well as give clients a new way of thinking about an old habit (they hadn’t been able to kick).
Share with us your take-a-ways from these books and please share books you have found to be valuable.
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