Speak with Impact: How to Command the Room and Influence Others

by Allison Shapira

Overview

When you know what to say and how to say it, people listen. Find your powerful voice, and step into leadership. Speak with impact.

Every day, you have an opportunity to use your voice to have a positive impact — at work or in your community. You can inspire and persuade your audience — or you can distract and put them to sleep.

Presentation styles where leaders are nervous, ramble, and robotic can ruin a talk on even the most critical topics. As your performances become weak, your career prosects start to dim. To get ahead and make an impact, you need to deliver well-crafted messages with confidence and authenticity. You must sound as capable as you are.

Public speaking is a skill, not a talent. With the right guidance, anyone can be a powerful speaker. Written by former opera singer turned CEO and TEDx speaker Allison Shapira, Speak with Impact unravels the mysteries of commanding attention in any setting, professional or personal.

Whether it’s speaking up at a meeting, presenting to clients, or talking to large groups, this book’s easy-to-use frameworks, examples and exercises will help you:

• Engage your audience through storytelling and humor
• Use breathing techniques to overcome stage fright
• Strengthen and project your voice by banishing filler words/uptalk
• Use effective body language and build your executive presence
• Compose a clear message and deliver confident, authentic presentations

Learn to conquer fear, capture attention, motivate action, and take charge of your career with Speak with Impact.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781400238514
Publisher:	AMACOM
Publication date:	04/12/2022
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	210,870
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 5.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Allison M. Shapira(Washington, DC) is founder and CEO of Global Public Speaking LLC. She teaches at the Harvard Kennedy School and offers keynote speeches, workshops, and executive coaching for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and nonprofits around the world.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction: Confessions of a Former Opera Singer 1

Chapter 1 Before You Speak: What Is Public Speaking, and Where Does It Happen? 11

Chapter 2 Start with Strategy: The Three Most Important Questions to Ask Before a Speech or Presentation 25

Chapter 3 Write the Speech: A Process to Write Any Speech or Presentation 43

Chapter 4 Empower Your Audience: Critical Tools to Connect with Your Audience 63

Chapter 5 Polish the Speech: The Final Steps Most People Neglect 79

Chapter 6 Show What You Mean: The Three Movements That Make Your Speech Come Alive 93

Chapter 7 Pause and Breathe: Calm Your Nerves and Strengthen Your Voice 115

Chapter 8 Give the Speech: All Those Last-Minute Details 129

Chapter 9 Illustrate the Speech: How to Use Visual Aids and Technology 143

Chapter 10 Prepare for the Unexpected: How to Speak Off the Cuff and Answer Questions 159

Chapter 11 Speak in Different Situations: On Calls, On Panels, or Across Borders 175

Chapter 12 Build Your Executive Presence: Five Components to Bring Out Authority and Authenticity 193

Chapter 13 Find Your Courage to Speak: How to Use This Book to Speak Up 205

Endnotes 213

Index 221