How to be a great public speaker

Lend Me Your ears, Professor Max Atkinson
Published by Vermillion (Random House)
In the ‘I’ of the Storm, Philip Yaffe
Published by Story Publishers, Belgium

A slight divergence of opinion!

Professor Atkinson is the academic who famously coached a novice speaker to a standing ovation at the 1984 SDP Conference. Mr Yaffe is a journalist, marketing communications consultant and teacher of business writing.
Though the good Professor’s book concentrates on speaking skills, he does examine the differences between writing to speak and writing to read. He breaks down the rhetorical aspects of speaking and explains several clever ways of getting the reaction you want. He also covers body language and his book is sprinkled with exercises to help you comprehend and practice the principles he advocates. A persuasive and very useful work.
Mr Yaffe splits his book into two distinct sections (plus nine appendices). His approach is that no-one particularly wants to read what you write or hear what you say. It is therefore up to you to make both forms of communication compelling, not merely interesting. His ideas are sound and well put across. He too includes useful exercises.
But here’s the interesting bit. While Professor Max eschews PowerPoint – at least when used as it seems to have been designed – Philip spends a large proportion of his speaking section on how to prepare PowerPoint exactly as it seems designed. By which I mean a series of bullet point slides. The professor loathes bullet points and wants graphics, Mr Yaffe says, “There is a false belief that most slides … should be illustrations.”
I must sayI lean towards the professor but, having read Mr Yaffe’s words on the subject, I have to confess the matter is not as clear cut as I had believed. It must be a case of assessing each presentation’s support on the merits of the case.
Both books are interesting, informative and potentially useful to both speakers and writers. If your budget will only stretch to one though, I’d plump for the Professor.

If you want to check on Amazon for 'Lend Me Your Ears' - click here

For 'In the 'I' of the Storm', contact www.storypublishers.be