Better Business Speech: Techniques and Shortcuts for Public Speaking at Work

by Paul Geiger

Overview

In a business world where we are told that time is money, the real currency is communicating clearly at a poised and measured pace. Better Business Speech: Techniques, Tricks, and Shortcuts for Public Speaking at Work by Paul Geiger focuses on the challenges of being a strong communicator in a range of business settings. It begins with the basic premise that all speaking for business is public speaking. Therefore, these are the communication scenarios where any lack of confidence in speech ability will be magnified. The obstacles that stand in the way of successful meetings, presentations, networking events, job interviews, and sales calls are all clearly described. Seasoned speech coach Paul Geiger offers tricks, techniques, and shortcuts that all seem shockingly simple; but it is the retraining of the mind and body that is the hard part. He details practical daily exercises that lead to better speech habits and addresses the causes of ineffective speech pattern in both personal and business settings. The physical and mental aspects of speech are explored in the context of forming a strong speech technique foundation that never loses sight of the importance of always sounding authentic. By offering action steps and helpful online tutorials, Geiger provides readers with the tools necessary to make lasting changes that will enhance speaking skills in all facets of business life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538102053
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	10/06/2017
Pages:	158
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Paul Geiger is currently a Senior Associate Instructor at New York Speech Coaching in New York City. He specializes in effective business communications. Paul uses his training, his experience and, more importantly, his intuition to figure out the key action steps that work for each individual client. He has spent most of his life developing consistent approaches that work for so many difficult business communications scenarios. Paul has enjoyed a parallel career as a voice artist and as a performer. His radio and television voiceover clients include: Mazda, Capital One and America On Line. Paul’s live and on camera performances have promoted such companies as: Platinum Technologies, Coldwell Banker and Bacardi International. Paul is a regular contributor to the website: Vocal Articles. Better Business Speech is his first book.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction The Shortest Distance 1

1 Speaking Up (Meetings and Conference Calls): Meeting Challenges 3

2 Heavy Lifting: Presentation Challenges 13

3 Putting Yourself Out There (Networking and Job Interviews): Networking Challenges 19

4 Sealing the Deal: Sales Call Challenges 25

5 Realizing the Problem: Personal Complaints 31

6 Breaking the Pattern: Business Complaints 47

7 Breathing with Authority: Powerful Speech Techniques 61

8 No Shouting Please: Controlled Speech Techniques 71

9 Those Sneaky Leaks: Clear Speech Techniques 83

10 More Than Words: Body Language Techniques 93

11 Of Tall Tales and Bumper Stickers: Preparation Tricks 109

12 Fear and Loathing: Fearless Tricks 115

13 Annoying Habits: Habit-Changing Shortcuts 127

14 Connecting the Dots: Executive Presence Shortcuts 133

Bibliography 141

Index 145

About the Author 149

Editorial Reviews

Better Business Speech will take your speech at work from serviceable to extraordinary. Paul Geiger is one of the few coaches whose knowledge of vocal anatomy is on par with his understanding of office politics. Whether you want to enhance your speaking voice, figure out what to do with your hands, or learn how to tell a great story... this book covers everything you need to know!

John Walton West

Quiet voices, running out of breath, appearing unsure — these challenges and more are addressed in Better Business Speech: Techniques, Tricks, and Shortcuts for Public Speaking at Work. Written by speech coach and actor Paul Geiger, the book is filled with strategies for overcoming the jitters and learning how to be a powerful and authoritative speaker. Geiger smartly encapsulates mental and physical techniques within a simple and clear framework, reflecting the very approach we should take to our own speeches…. Better Business Speech isn’t just for businesspeople. It’s for anyone who has to speak in public. But for someone who’s about to speak at a conference or make a presentation and is already starting to sweat, this is a lifesaver of a book. Filled with an insider’s wisdom and empathetic perspective, it will help you gain courage as you step into the spotlight. From honing your message to breathing, from integrating your body language to projecting authority and confidence, Better Business Speech offers all the tools you need to go out there and communicate effectively.

Blogcritics

This renown NYC vocal coach, Paul Geiger, in Better Business Speech offers practical methods for increasing vocal effectiveness. In clear one-to-one steps, he demonstrates using one’s outgoing air flow to punctuate the verbal message; i.e. delaying vocalization after air input, or by varying loudness levels, or by using downward pitch levels at the end of a phrase or sentence. The practice materials when mastered will help speakers sound like they know what they are talking about.

Daniel R. Boone

Paul Geiger’s Better Business Speech might just be more valuable than your MBA! In today’s business world, it has become increasingly important to present oneself well in terms of communication and speech. Yet, countless professionals feel ill-prepared or even fearful when it comes to using their speaking voices in effective, confident, and successful ways. Many must wonder: “If only it could EASY and PRACTICAL for a business person to revolutionize their speaking capabilities in a short time!”. This is precisely what Paul Geiger has accomplished in his inspired work with “Better Business Speech”. He has taken his expertise as an experienced Speech Coach working with hundreds of clients in the heart of New York City and translated his success into a format that can help everyone. This book should make it from every college dorm room nightstand, to every interviewees’ purse, to the personal bookshelf of every CEO’s top floor office.

Justin Stoney

In his new book, Better Business Speech – Techniques, Tricks, and Shortcuts for Public Speaking at Work, Paul Geiger, an actor, voice-over artist and esteemed speech coach, covers all the possibilities that can go wrong in public speaking and shares how to get them right…. Better Business Speech is organized by chapter to allow you to easily find specific tips for a particular type of business setting or for a speech technique you hope to master. With his book, Geiger has provided a comprehensive and solutions-oriented user’s manual to meet any speaking challenge your professional life demands with both authenticity and authority.

US Daily Review

Paul Geiger has assembled an essential rule book, and tool book, for anyone wishing to improve their communication skills. He writes with clarity, directness, and authority. Exactly the way this book can help you learn to speak. The exercises he offers are simple, effective and easy to follow, making the journey to confident communicating both satisfying and rewarding.

Doug Paulson

Paul Geiger teaches you how to get your point across with power and panache. This book is indispensable.

Al Pittampalli