Customer Reviews:
Great reference/cheat sheet.......2007-07-26
I have used this book on all my performance reviews, it is so good, that I could not stop picking phrases from it, and my boss had to tell me to be "less verbose" in my self assessment!
Book for new managers.......2007-07-15
This book was recommended in one of my management classes. I was able view it during one of the class breaks. Immediately, I knew it will save me time and effort. Many useful phrases to help and prompt thoughts for reviewing team members.
A good guide .......2007-07-05
I purchased this guide for the supervisors on my team because it gives phrases to use when appraising employees. Its also gives phrases to use when writing awards or other evaulations of performance. The guide is organized into different areas-teamwork, communication skills, productivity, etc. which helps find helpful phrases to use. This guide is simple but elegant in its usefulness.
Who needs this? .......2007-06-12
If I sat on a toilet all day thinking of sycophantic half-sentences, this is probably what I'd come up with. I hate to think about what the brain-dead, incompetent boob who needs a book like this looks like.
It's management speak like this crap that inspired movies like Office Space and television shows such as The Office and Just Shoot Me. On that note, maybe I should give this book five stars.
One thing's for certain, anyone in your office who orders this book should be fired immediately.
Helpful Tool.......2007-05-16
Very helpful tool in writing performance reviews and avoiding redundancy when writing performance reviews.
Book Description
For event planners, there's no such thing as a dress rehearsal!
Any event you plan and stage is a reflection of your company's image — from the initial invitation to onsite operations. Whether you're planning a product launch, conference, sales meeting, an incentive event, or a gala fund-raiser, remember that the magic of a truly memorable event is in the details, but so is the devil. Special events are fraught with thousands of details, and have to come off without a hitch. Whether your event is for 50 or 2,000 people, whether it has a budget of a few thousand dollars, or hundreds of thousands, planning and executing the project is like a high-wire act without the safety nets. Event Planning gives you a blueprint for planning and executing special events with flair and without any unexpected surprises and expenses. This unique book is loaded with practical advice on every aspect of organizing and managing special events:
- Choosing the best venue
- Preparing and managing the budget
- Scheduling and staffing
- Coordinating food and beverage, décor, entertainment, and themes
- Working with professionals, such as public relations firms and creative directors.
What you don't know or know to ask can have a major effect on the success of your event and on your budget. Event Planning takes you through every aspect of organizing and executing a successful event: the planning stages, timing and logistics, budget preparation, operations, and on-site management. Event Planning:
- Includes sample costing forms to help you generate a detailed project plan and budget.
- Explains what you need to ask before you contract with suppliers.
- Is loaded with practical tips and examples that will help you avoid expensive mistakes.
- Features a companion website with forms from the book, additional forms, author Q&A, and more.
Event Planning takes you behind the scenes, and provides practical tools for anyone who has to plan and execute a truly special event:
- Corporate in-house event planners
- Public relations and communications companies, and their clients
- Marketing and corporate communications professionals
- Fundraisers and not-for-profit organizations
- Professionals in the hospitality and entertainment industries
Customer Reviews:
Not for beginners and not for professionals.......2007-05-03
It is hard to tell who this book is geared towards. A novice should not take on any event that is as over their head; as most of the event situations that are listed in the book are. A professional would know from experience the answers to most of the questions or they would have the common sense to take care of any odd situation that arose. The book may be helpful to assistant managers or banquet captains, but most houses have their own way of doing things. Interesting read and a good refresher, buy used.
Very useful Hand Book.......2007-03-10
It was very useful to me as I used it to brak into the wedding/event business. It presents a very corporate approach, yet it seems to uncover all kinds of secrets of the event world that are hidden to the public eye.
This Book is Alright.......2006-08-09
Being an avid reader of Event Planning literature, I must say that this book is alright.
Packed with Knowledge!.......2005-10-14
Details, details, details. That's really what successful event planning is all about, and that's the key to this very successful event-planning manual. Author Judy Allen notes, lists, copes with and gives an example of virtually every detail in planning anything from a sedate corporate event in a major city to a huge celebration on a remote island. She provides examples galore plus tips, questions and answers, sample cost sheets and schedules. How much floor space does a person need to be comfortable in a tent? Answer: 20 square feet. How many bathrooms should be available for a party? Answer: One per 75 guests. And don't forget to ask about the stemware, adequate parking and even the photographer's back-up camera battery. This author seems to have thought every contingency, as the book's ambitious title promises. Her one glaring omission is that she does not include the party planner's fee - our guess is that she'd be worth it. We highly recommend this well-organized, very practical book to all event planners. Don't send out press releases for your party without consulting Judy Allen.
Great book.......2005-10-01
This is a great book for anyone interested in working in the event planning field.
Book Description
Well-known author and consultant Howard Shenson shows consultants, educators and trainers how to enter and flourish in the lucrative and fast-growing seminar business--an estimated 3-to-4 billion industry. Covers everything from choosing a topic and developing a program to targeting a market, pricing and promotion. Provides practical details on selecting facilities, writing brochures, advertising, using direct mail, add-on materials and much more. Features checklists, tables and sample forms that help make planning easy and efficient.
Customer Reviews:
Very dated.......2007-07-30
While this book gives a good starting point for a seminar newbie, it is quite hampered by its dated material. All statistics and pricing examples are from the late 1980's. There is no recognition anywhere in the book that the Internet exists, PowerPoint can be used in presentations, etc. For instance, you are warned against using carbon copy paper. Hello? Good in 1990, but needs a serious and thorough updating to reflect current trends and technologies.
Dated but very good.......2006-06-26
This is a good introductory book for those that need to develop and promote successful seminars and workshops. The book covers what one needs to know about developing a program, market testing, setting the right fees, marketing, promotion, advertising and publicity. The reader is provided with useful practical tips and advice that I have used to good effect.
The book is well written in simple English that is easy to follow and understand. Despite the book being a bit dated, the advice it provides is still relevant and very useful and practical. Even the veteran has something to learn from this excellent book.
Those who wish to capitalize on the growing business of seminars, workshops, conferences and training classes are recommended to read this book for guidance and directions.
Very good service........2005-09-17
Book was sent in a timely manner and I received it in good shape. Thanks.
Great information.......2004-06-23
This book is one of the important books on this topic. I have included this book in my personal library and have referred many people to this book.
Early in my business I provided "public" seminars and this book provided some great advice and tips.
Lenny Laskowski, professional speaker and author of the book, "10 Days to More Confident Public Speaking" (Warner Books)
Reference Only.......2002-03-27
This book has lots of really good information. This is a great reference tool.
Book Description
"Phil Harkins has it exactly right. To be a leader is to communicate powerfully—as he does in this thoughtful book." - Robert B. Reich, Professor of Social and Economic Policy Brandeis University.
Powerful Conversations breed a powerful organization. POWERFUL CONVERSATIONS is packed with goal-oriented strategies, tools, and real-life examples from great leaders. Use its deliberate, directed techniques to achieve exceptional levels of performance, create and maintain valuable relationships, and forward the goals of both yourself and your organization with every word you speak. Mastering the three stages of a Powerful Conversation—from shared feelings and beliefs, to an exchange of wants and needs, closing with action steps and mutual commitments—will help you exercise more control over your interactions, and greatly enhance both your leadership skills and your success.
Look inside to discover:
How to plan, conduct, and measure Powerful Conversations;
Using the Tower of Power as a tool in coaching;
The four Cs of Trust—clarity, caring, consistency, and commitment
Five strategies to satisfy—and keep—your best employees
Tools to turn the company grapevine from a poisonous plant into a pathway for learning
Determining your leadership competencies through the Leadership Assessment Instrument
Targeting Passionate Champions to drive an Agenda for Change.
Leaders across the country are praising POWERFUL CONVERSATIONS:
"Phil Harkins has it exactly right. To be a leader is to communicate powerfully—as he does in this thoughtful book." - Robert B. Reich, Professor of Social and Economic Policy, Brandeis University.
"Powerful Conversations have made a real difference in the effectiveness of the Operations Senior Leadership Team. We are delivering unprecedented results thanks to the clearer communication and improved working relationships." - Larry Gundrum, Senior Vice President, Kraft Foods.
"In my business, Powerful Conversations are leading to believability and a growing sense of achievability by our employees that they can drive a massive agenda for change." - Linda Coughlin, Managing Director, Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc.
"In a fast forward world, candor and clarity are prerequisites for success. POWERFUL CONVERSATIONS is a must read book for leading into the 21st century." - Steve Ozonian, Chairman and CEO, Prudential Real Estate and Relocations Solutions.
"A powerful guide, both savvy and wise, to emotional intelligence in action. Phil Harkins has given us an essential handbook for leaders at any level." - Daniel Goleman, Author, Working with Emotional Intelligence.
Download Description
Powerful communicators are made, not born. Powerful Conversations outlines the conversational techniques and tools that leaders from all walks of life use to create a bond with their listener, motivate others to achieve exceptional performance, and achieve business goals with each conversation.
Noted leadership expert Phil Harkins packs years of research and interviews into Powerful Conversations. His step-by-step blueprint will show every reader how to conduct and control effective, productive conversations and includes:
-- The power conversation strategies of Oprah Winfrey, Jack Welch, and others
-- Diagrams, models, lessons, and tests exploring the latest conversation technology
-- A hands-on workbook for practicing powerful conversation techniques
Customer Reviews:
Learn how high impact leaders communicate.......2006-02-21
It is no secret that some leaders can inspire people to heroic levels of greatness, while others can not even stimulate individuals to the level of mediocrity. Some organizations can inspire fierce employee loyalty while others watch their top talent depart regularly. The author of this book argues that often the reason for these situations lies in the way the top leaders of an organization communicate with the rest of the organization.
The author of this book shares his insight as to how high impact leaders communicate. By sharing the stories of some remarkable leaders who use Powerful Conversations techniques to spread their voice throughout their organization, to instill trust and loyalty, and to effectuate deep and profound change when change is necessary, the author hopes to share:
· why you must always say what you will do and what you say;
· how to use the four-step Tower of Power to guide companies through Powerful Conversations that lead to action;
· how to really listen to people so that organizations hear their message and they know that you understand;
· how to create Agenda for change and implement it to create profound change within the organization.
The author shares the five competencies-focused drive, emotional intelligence, trusted influence, conceptual thinking and systems thinking-shared by all high-impact leaders.
Excellent Leadership Tool.......2003-11-24
Prior to reading Powerful Conversations: How High-Impact Leaders Communicate, I had anticipated a manual to the proper rules of conversation. However, this book turned out to be much more than a manual of sorts. Harkins not only provides ways to develop excellent communication as well as leadership skills, he also explains what powerful conversations are, how they are structured, and what types of impacts, accomplishments and outcomes they render.
Being able to communicated effectively is critical in today's corporate world. Harkins reminds us of some of the most basic skills that most of us don't even consider to be as important in communication as they actually prove to be. Skills such as the ability to build trusting relationships and listen carefully to others.
However, not all the techniques discussed are as basic. It does indeed take practice to become a master of powerful conversation. Harkins provides six tools which can be used to enhance your communication and leadership skill in order to ensure greater success. I found Tool 1: Planning, Conducting, and Measuring Powerful Conversations, to be an excellent guideline for the preparation and implementation of powerful conversations. This tool also provides a series of simple but very relevant questions that you can ask yourself to determine what type of outcome resulted from your conversation.
Harkins also includes a self-scoring sample of the Leadership Assessment Instrument (LAI) to help you gain insight into your own leadership abilities, which I found to be extremely helpful.
Overall, I found this book to be very beneficial and would recommend it to professionals, students, and anyone looking to enhance their success.
A piece of the jigsaw.......2003-07-15
The title Powerful Conversations: How High-Impact Leaders Communicate led me to believe that this book was primarily concerned with interpersonal communication. I found, however, that it is largely focussed on the ethics of leadership and the philosophy of emotional intelligence as applied to big business. The book is of high calibre in this respect, and for this reason I gave it 4 stars. But if you are looking for a hands-on manual on communication you will need to look elsewhere.
Anyone who is sufficiently motivated to read this book will no doubt be already aligned with the basic philosophy of trust, openness, honesty, and clarity. The challenge lies in implementing such a philosophy. No doubt Harkins takes a more practical approach in his corporate training programme, and it would be a very large and expensive book if it were to contain such a programme in full. However, I find it frustrating that Harkins spends far more time explaining why than he does explaining how. Some methodology is woven into the text, but on the whole, the presentation focuses largely on principles and attitudes.
All of these elements, of course, provide a necessary foundation for any system; after all, rote behaviours are largely unsustainable. But there is also a need for clear directives on the progressive action steps that need to be taken. The book must serve exceedingly well as a door opener for corporate clients, but the owner/operator of a small business will not find definitive steps that he or she could progressively implement from the book alone. I should add that I am not advocating the rigid paint-by-numbers formula that some other motivational books follow.
What I most question is Harkins' representation of trust as a primary focus, rather than as an outcome of deliberate and conscious process. Trust, far from being a subjective quality only, is an objective competency that employees as well as their leaders must progressively develop and demonstrate. For example, in his book, Leadership, Rudolph Giuliani describes the functioning of his mayoral team with great frankness. In so doing, he demonstrates clearly how trust is not assumed at the beginning; it is developed over time and established through frank and honest appraisal of each team member's verbal and practical input. I miss this in Harkins' book.
I have nevertheless reserved a place for Powerful Conversations on my bookshelves. But to round out Harkins' perspective, I have added books like Rudolph Giuliani's Leadership, Jim Loehr's & Tony Swartz's The Power of Full Engagement, Dorothy Leeds' The 7 Powers of Questions and Meryl Runion's Power Phrases. Together, they make a mighty team.
Insightful!.......2001-04-24
When you talk, do people listen? Communicating effectively is essential in the business world. It is the first step in the path toward leadership. While other business books discuss leadership as a whole, this one focuses in on one of the most basic - and often overlooked - prerequisites to leadership: excellent communication skills. While most of the suggestions presented in Powerful Conversations seem like simple common sense, the book does get you to focus on critical points that you probably take for granted, like building trust, preparing in advance for potentially touchy conversations and actually listening to what other people say. In addition, it offers some helpful conversational strategies and pointers for determining when your meeting is heading south. We [...] recommend this book to executives in leadership positions, who will be reminded to brush up on their conversational style and delivery, and to business people and students looking to talk their way to the top.
Excellent guide for impactful conversations and leadership.......2000-02-25
This book provides the necessary tools for leadership and impactful conversations. It provides real-life technologies and tools for leaders at all levels of the organization. Inspiring and educational, this book should be on the shelf of all emerging and current leaders.
Book Description
How do highly paid professional speakers put magic and motivation into every talk? Lilly Walters, Executive Director of Walters International Speakers Bureau, reveals their secrets and strategies in this practical, conversational guide. Mark Twain reputedly said it took him three weeks to prepare an impromptu speech, but readers of Secrets of Successful Speakers will do it in days-or minutes. This book spells out the rules in 11 easy-to-follow steps, each accompanied by interactive exercises. Readers will learn to: set objectives before writing; customize the talk for each audience; conquer stage fright; cultivate a reputation as an expert; develop themes for each presentation; organize material in memorable manner; edit for best effect; project a professional "platform image" through personality, voice, and clothes; motivate audiences to change their actions and attitudes; involve listeners by using humor, heart, and audience participation exercises; deal with problems and pitfalls ranging from poor staging and faulty audio-visual equipment to hecklers and questions of ethics. This authoritative and accessible guide also contains fascinating anecdotes of well-known personalities and how they mastered the art of public speaking. It will quickly become the reference of choice for trainers, lawyers, doctors, managers, and everyone who makes presentations or gives talks.
Customer Reviews:
This book is worth its weight in gold!.......2006-07-08
Lilly and Dottie Walters have contributed volumes to the world of professional speaking. All of their books provide veteran and upcoming speakers alike with the resources, tips, and guidelines needed to be successful. This book is another example of the quality and care the Walters provide in all aspects of their speaking enterprise. I found this book to be most helpful in planning and writing my public speaking presentations as well as in my daily lesson preparations as a secondary school teacher. Lilly Walters presents page after page of straight forward approaches to capturing and keeping any audiences attention as well as numerous methods of achieving and reinforcing the exact message you were aiming at delivering. This is a must have on every public speaker's and educator's book shelf. My name is Kelly Croy. You can learn more about me and how I use this excellent book by Lilly Walters on my website at www.kellycroy.com.
Too Many Cooks.......2005-09-07
There are plenty of good books on public speaking - and this is NOT one of them. For several reasons.
First and definitely most importantly - it regularly contradicts itself. For example, on the subject of humor and the person who is to introduce you:
"...If it looks like they are going to read some big long thing, give them some quick funny story to say instead." Dr. Ken Blanchard
"Never give and introducer 'risky' material that requires comic timing." Tom Ogden
So, assuming that Mr Ogden meant "material which requires comic timing is 'risky'," we have two "experts telling us, one straight after the other, to (1) get the introducer to tell a funny story, and (2) avoid asking the introducer to tell a funny story!
This confusion is mainly down to the author's choice to use a vast collection of quotes from people she presumably regards as "expert speakers," interspersed, from time to time, by her own thoughts and observations. Unfortunately, despite her wealth of experience as a head of a "professional lecture agency," or maybe because of it, Ms. Walters has produced a book that is about as superficial as most of the "key note" and "after dinner" speeches I've ever had to witness.
There's a mountain of material here, and SOME of it is genuinely useful, but it's all so mixed up with the dross that you'd have to be something of an expert already in order to know which bits are worth taking notice of, and which are likely to make things worse rather than better. In which case you wouldn't need this book in the first place.
The second important flaw in the book is that it assumes that the "experts" actually know what makes them successful. Which is also unfortunate, since it is widely recognised that "experts" usually have little or no idea as to what their success is really based on. The best they can do is tell you what THEY think they do - hence the conflicting instructions and the highly variable usefulness of the book as a whole.
Thirdly, there is the author's own rather questionable knowledge. In Chapter 5, for instance, there is a section on mind maps, which shows little or no understanding of the subject. To be sure, the author does say, at one point:
"True mind map experts, which I am not, will tell you to use only one word per line along with the pictures."
No they won't. They'll tell you never to use a complete sentence, because if you do you will seriously undermine the main reason for using a mind map. And that's just after they'd tell you that you do NOT have to use pictures all over a mind map, as this author asserts.
The obvious question is "Why describe a technique if you know that you don't really know what you're talking about?" It may fill up some space, but it certainly doesn't do the reader any favours.
If you're the sort of person who gains confidence from getting "Reader's Digest"-sized quotes from a host of big name speakers then you may well enjoy this book. If you want something with a modicum of genuine authority, from someone who writes from an in depth knowledge AND UNDERSTANDING of their subject then you'll need to look elsewhere.
A Must for your Library.......2004-08-21
Any person looking to raise the level of their speaking needs to add this book to their library. I personally own every book Lilly has published. As a professional speaker myself and the author of, "10 Days to More Confident Public Speaking" (Warner Books), I appreciate the value of the information in Lilly's book and I recommmend this book to anyone.
A potent concoction of surefire tips and techniques.......2002-11-08
This is certainly one of the best books on public speaking I've read. The only other work that deserves special mention is Jack Valenti's Speak Up with Confidence. Walters gives surefire tips and techniques that are recipe for a successful presentation that may inspire for years.
Her crisp advice on the main requirements of a speech of "passion and compassion with a purpose" is very potent and often leaps off my mind each time I prepare to instruct or make a speech. Walters has carefully drawn from the "secrets" of public speaking pros and concocted them into a surefire formula for success. What's more, her anecdotes and quotes are both entertaining and memorable.
I found myself a better speaker even after reading and applying steps 1 and 2. Wait till I conquer step 11! Thank you Lilly Walters for an absolutely inspiring and terrific book.
A potent concoction of surefire tips and techniques.......2002-11-08
This is certainly one of the best books on public speaking I've read. The only other work that deserves special mention is Jack Valenti's Speak Up with Confidence. Walters gives surefire tips and techniques that are recipe for a successful presentation that may inspire for years.
Her crisp advice on the main requirements of a speech of "passion and compassion with a purpose" is very potent and often leaps off my mind each time I prepare to instruct or make a speech. Walters has carefully drawn from the "secrets" of public speaking pros and concocted them into a surefire formula for success. What's more, her anectdotes and quotes are both entertaining and memorable.
I found myself a better speaker even after reading and applying steps 1 and 2. Wait till I conquer step 11! Thank you Lilly Walters for an absolutely inspiring and terrific book.
Product Description
Gathering people together for a special event is always a challenge even for the experienced planner for each event is unique. This book is designed to empower any planner to meet all challenges that surround a production. Whether you find yourself in charge of one important event or you have chosen event planning as a career, you want your events to be incredibly successful and remembered for years to come. A memorable event is one that flows smoothly with every detail carefully orchestrated and produced meticulously with the participant in mind. Successful events do not just happen; they are the result of hard work, creativity, awareness, and careful attention to detail. Every detail! Successful Event Planning is the most thorough, concise, and easy to follow event planning book available. From the initial concept to ongoing management, this book has techniques to increase your chances of success and systems to avoid many common mistakes. It shows you dozens of ways to save time and money and introduces you to every facet of the planning process. This ultimate guidebook equips the reader with new ideas, support, and creative problem-solving skills. The chapters follow the dynamics of the actual event planning process and are supported by extensive checklists and timelines. As the reader undertakes the complexities of daily responsibilities and tasks, Successful Event Planning inspires efficiency and confidence and makes it possible to stay on track. Whether you are a professional or a novice, you will find this guidebook a must-have if you are planning the Academy Awards or your daughter's wedding. The information found in this book is suitable for creating any event for any theme, size, location, or budget. Two significant, timely, and relevant advantages this book offers that you will not find elsewhere are Environmental Friendly practices and the latest up-to-date technology applications and gadgets. **2007 Eric Hoffer Book Awards: Notable in Bus
Customer Reviews:
Great Book for all Levels of Event Planners.......2007-07-05
This book is a fount of knowledge. Its simple to read and easy to follow. I thought it would be a person spouting about how great they are and not alot of practical information. But I was wrong. This book is helpful in many ways: for the beginner it provides a practical guideline to get started; for the intermediate planner it provides further ways to improve what they have begun; and for the advanced planner it hones their skills with the latest ideas and information.
For myself as an advanced even planner, it confirms that I am right on track with the trend for event planning. The CD with the forms and such are very useful and easy to customize for each planner or event.
I have already recommended this book to a large organization to use to train other event planners!
Event Planning made easy.......2007-04-11
This is a great high level overview of event planning. I am still looking for a reference with more detailed checklists and events of a more civic nature. But it was great to get the accompanying CD to use to start making your own checklists. And a great way to see all the possible areas that could be involved with planning events, especially large ones.
Very informative.......2007-04-09
Having to plan an event? First time or old pros needing a refresher go no further than this book. Shannon Kilkenny has outdone herself here with step by step instructions and tips to walk you through the whole process of planning and executing even the most difficult event you've ever faced. I found the charts, lists and forms both in the text and the copies on the CD ROM for easy print out to be the most beneficial.
I think the best thing about this book is that you can take away something from reading the whole book cover to cover. But you can also take away information from individual chapters if the whole book doesn't apply to you. The best example of this I can give is that my mother was panicked last week over trying to plan my little sister's 16th birthday. I told mom that while I'd only read this book last week for a friends baby shower that I thought she might want to take a peek at it. When I came over the day before my sister's party to help with setup my mom said that the book had more than paid for itself. It had shown her a much less stressful way to do what she was trying to do. She said that she skipped the chapters aimed at event planners but that a lot of the later chapters helped her immensely in avoiding disaster or over planning for the party. This is a definite read for anyone trying to plan an event from the smallest birthday party to a large banquet or conference.
If you want the depth, Complete Guide to Successful Event Planning is the item of choice........2007-04-07
If a reference to planning events is needed you can't do better than Complete Guide to Successful Event Planning, a pick for planners and public libraries alike. Here's all the basics for planning all kinds of events, from seminars, receptions, weddings, dances, reunions and retreats. From money-saving tips and identifying and reaching target markets to choosing dates and designing events, it covers all aspects from budget to set-up and beyond. A few other guides cover this topic lightly - if you want the depth, Complete Guide to Successful Event Planning is the item of choice.
An Inspirational Guide To Success! .......2007-03-26
I've planned successful corporate Christmas parties, software user group conferences, non-profit fundraisers, weddings, church gatherings, and awards banquets but I found new ways to enhance my services and make the processes flow more smoothly when I read "The Complete Guide to Successful Event Planning".
Shannon Kilkenny provides comprehensive planning guidelines in a way that stimulates further brainstorming and creativity. She teaches you how to easily and systematically envision, create and run a fantastic event that will be memorable for all of the participants, enjoyable for the planner, and profitable when appropriate.
I particularly liked her advice on "greening" your event. Providing organic meals and other environmentally friendly offerings sends a positive message to participants, the community and potential clients. People want to hire event planners who are responsible people. What better way to demonstrate and promote your services than to host an event that is appealing, well-run and certified as environmentally sound?
This book does an excellent job of guiding you through the process of planning a successful event and is a must have for anyone who may be called upon to coordinate a gathering.
Customer Reviews:
Finally a Speech Book for Geeks !.......2000-12-01
There is no passion to write an excellent book here. It might be a good book for geeks. Perhaps Chapter 4 (Engaging Audience) is the reason that I am left with this feeling. That chapter is particularly shallow. Or may be because the author Jefff Slutsky uses the powerful phrase "street fighter" so banally. The book is often very superficial in its advise. Just one example at bottom of page 30. "Humor should be funny." The title of this books touts three objectives. Overcoming fear is one of them. It never gets around to fear in any meaningful way. It is an easy book to read but partly because it does not get intense about any subject. This is a good book if you are going to be talking to very conventional run of the mill crowds where you can be contrived and shallow because you are not going to develop into a great speaker. If you address high powered people this is not the book for you. Co-author Michael Aun won the Toastmasters International championship in 1978. I have listened to this speech several times and it is greatness. Just to be a finalist is a glory--ardently admired. To win is beyond my ability to extol sufficient respect. Their are many good points to this book but they are found in quiet little places and if you have read a number of books on speaking this book can be read to advantage.
OK if you're promoting seminars..........2000-03-24
This book seems to be more directed at those who wish to promote themselves through public speaking. For the rest of us who just want some good, straightforward information on how to become better at speaking in front of a large group, it falls short.
This book gets straight to the point with tips you can use........1996-12-13
Michael Aun and Jeff Slutsky deliver a practical guide to using the skill of speaking to move your business forward, whether you're a speaker or not. A lot of great information packed into an easy read. David DeCurtis, Executive Vice President, Enanti Corporation
Book Description
Public speaking always ranks first in surveys of everyone's greatest fears. Nevertheless, presenting your ideas and results is essential to professional success. What to do? With
Successful Presentations For Dummies, you discover proven techniques for everything from researching and organizing your material to projecting confidence through your voice and body language. With nationally acclaimed speaker, author, and attorney Malcom Kushner as your personal mentor, you quickly understand the principles of creating effective visual aids as well as ways to handle panel discussions, question-and-answer sessions, and whatever else pops up.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent resource.......2005-03-06
This book is a comprehensive guide to the art and science of public speaking. It covers all the basics and then some. I am a professional speaker and a professional member of the National Speakers Association (www.nsaspeaker.com). I teach public speaking skills and always recommend this book. I totally disagree with a previous reviewer who says the way to better public speaking is through practice. Experience without foundation is not the best teacher where public speaking is concerned. There is much to be learned about presentation technique, content development, preparation, etc. The book also gives great tips for using humor to make your point, using audiovisuals appropriately (so many people use them inappropriately), handling questions and so much more. Whether experienced at speaking or a novice, everyone can glean something from this book.
Great resource for revisting and revising your style........2003-09-26
I've had a copy of Successful Presentations for Dummies on my bookshelf since 1996 and found it to be a great reference and source of ideas for presentations as I have moved forward in my professional career. The book is broken up into various sections that address the most common problem areas for presenters and is easily referencable when you just need a quick review. I recommend this book, but it is now out of print.
Great resource for people who want to make an impact!.......2000-04-09
As a professional speaker, I found this book full of useful information. The author covers everything from how to be introduced to how to end your presentation effectively. He tells you how to involve your audience, how to use humor, how to design your presentation, and more. It's full of tips and examples. While it's true that the best way to improve your public speaking is to just do it, this book will shorten your learning curve by years!
Too long to read!.......1998-11-28
The section on humor is very good, but if you want to improve your presentation skills, it's no point reading a big book, you have to practice to improve.
This book could have been more useful if it were more concise.
Book Description
Organize a powerful, effective business presentation and deliver it with style! Say it with Presentations helps you define why you're giving the presentation and the audience you need to convince. This compelling, comprehensive presentation toolkit tells you when, why, and how to use humor, and, yes, silence to get your points across...how to make the most of visuals...set up facilities and equipment...and rehearse to communicate your confidence, conviction and enthusiasm, and much, much more.
Download Description
Say it with Presentations helps you define why you're giving the presentation and the audience you need to convince.
Customer Reviews:
Successful Presentations.......2002-03-30
This book is the best and gave me valuable tips to make effective presentation. Knowing how to communicate effectively, I can improve my teaching style. When I translate text pages into a brief presentation visual, my creativity enhance.
Reccomend highly.......2002-03-04
If you have to do presentations, chances are you don't have much time to wade through literature about how. Many books exist on the subject; this has got to be one of the best - covers basically all you need to know about How and Why rather than What. Zelazny helps the reader to find his/her own way, which is ultimately better than being spoon fed as in the disappointingly dry "McGraw-Hill One Day Workshop on Presentation Skills"
Buy this book if you rely on giving presentations for your job. Even if you are facing a one-off crisis presentation, this book can be read fast enough to offer concrete help immediately.
Oh - it's fun an humorous too. But a bit expensive.
Useful, but just for beginners.......2001-08-23
I am a strategic consultant and I founded the book too simple. It is highly recomended (together with "Say it with charts") if you are brand new in a consultancy firm or, because of your job, you occasionally have to do professional presentations and you want to acquire a basic methodology. It is a good book for starters, but presentations is kind of an art and it is a skill difficult to get.
Real help for you, the presenter.......2000-01-25
Say It With Presentations steps beyond the "How to give a speech" story of its peers. Gene shows us what works, why it works, and, most importantly, how we can all make it work. I have not seen a better book for giving business presentations than this and don't expect to find one.
The secret is simplicity.
Following his own advice, Gene makes the book simple and has simple examples and arguments for ideas that are soooooo tempting to complicate.
This is not a book to read. It is a manual to review, a guide to follow, a resource for self help, and a reminder of the rights of the audience.
Most importantly, it is fun to refer back to constantly both before and after presentations.
Common-sense guidelines to cut through the presentation fog.......2000-01-15
Gene Zelazny has once again proved that by following a few common-sensical guidelines, no one needs to create a business presentation that bores their audience. In an age where too many business communicators rely on Powerpoint to fog their ideas and confuse their audience, Zelazny's advice is in great need. Perhaps if all of Sun Microsystem's employees were required to read this, there'd be no need to ban Powerpoint.
In this follow-up to the successful "Say It With Charts", Zelazny continues to ask the reader to focus on the needs of the audience, to use the presentation to create a dialogue with the listener, and to use the presentation to support the message. He provides much needed guide to use of new media and proves, once again, that in the communication of complex ideas, less is more.
Buy several copies! Keep one for yourself and have one handy for the next business presentation that puts you to sleep. That presenter will thank you.
Book Description
Create an effective, comprehensive communications strategy in an age of information overload
Fax, e-mail, 1-800 numbers, the Internet, infotainmentâwith so many new and traditional media available, it should be easy for a nonprofit to connect with its constituents. Yet each new technology brings new challenges, adding more messages, more voices, and more information to the clamor. Nonprofits now have to compete harder than ever to win the attention of a media-jaded public. That's why it is crucial that today's nonprofits develop comprehensive, coordinated communications plans that are detailed enough to cover all the bases, yet flexible enough to compensate for the unexpected. Strategic Communications for Nonprofit Organizations shows you how.
In this book, Janel Radtke introduces all-important communications concepts and issues in plain English. Taking a wholly practical, in-the-trenches approach, she combines expert insights, real-life case studies, and clear, step-by-step instructions to demonstrate nonprofit communications strategies that work. She provides:
- An easy-to-follow, 7-step program for developing a comprehensive, multifaceted communications plan
- A disk containing all the worksheets, forms, surveys, and self-assessment tools you need to create a total communications plan
- Techniques for matching the message with the medium and for adapting both to specific purposes, such as fund-raising, advocacy, public education, PR, and more
Strategic Communications for Nonprofit Organizations helps you coordinate and streamline communications efforts. It provides proven techniques for guaranteeing that you send the right message to each constituency group or audience, and that you hit your mark every time.
Customer Reviews:
Radtke hits the mark.......2000-12-04
Radtke takes a generally vague term "P.R" and makes specific, detailed entry ways that prove essential in the creation of a public relations framework. The text concentrates on breaking up tasks into manageable units from the creation of the perfect mission statement to completion of an internal audit. The internal audit is a great example of the way Radtke approaches every angle of the P.R. question; Radtke isn't just focused on demographics (or psychographics or geographics--all are explained here) or target audiences but she also encourages readers to investigate the inner workings of their specific organization. By examining the specific organization (from the number of phones to the personality of the staff) Radtke helps you design the most appropriate plan for your non-profit group. The accompanying C.D. helps you utilize the detailed models in the text and it's terribly easy to use, making the learning process much more fun. My only complaint would be that the information presented is a bit dense, making steady reading somewhat difficult. However, I reccomend Lawrence Wallack's straight forward "News for a Change" as an aid to Radtke's detailed vision. However, Wallack doesn't tackle as many issues as Radtke and her text still stands alone.
Books:
- Employment Law for Business
- Essentials of Macromedia Captivate: Skills and Drills Workbook
- Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
- Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture
- Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
- Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
- Got What It Takes?: Successful People Reveal How They Made It to the Top
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- How Organizations Learn: An Integrated Strategy for Building Learning Capability (Jossey Bass Business and Management Series)
- How to Win Friends & Influence People
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Wall and Mean: A Novel
- My Name Is America: journal Of Rufus Rowe, Witness To The Battle Of Fredricksburg
- Capital Ideas: The Improbable Origins of Modern Wall Street
- Economics and Management of Franchising Networks
- Globalization and Its Enemies
- In the Presence of My Enemies
- Find it in 5 Seconds Gaining Control in the Information Age
- 202 Services You Can Sell For Big Profits
- Guide to Analysing Companies
- Cycads of South Africa
General
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