Word From the Top
The Chief Executive’s Guide to Business Communication
by
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Stage Fright Know these feelings? Dry mouth, sweaty palms, shallow breathing, sinking stomach, tightness in the throat, panic attack-- Most of us hate to hear an instructor or coach tell us this fear is natural and useful, and that it spurs us on to greater achievement. We think, that might work for you, pal, but I’m in trouble here. In fact, a little apprehension does tend to sharpen our focus, making us more attentive and intense. It’s the fight-or-flight impulse that helped our ancestors overcome danger, or flee from it, so they could continue the bloodline. Think about why we’re afraid: I probably will be embarrassed.
They won’t like what I’m wearing. I might look silly or sound stupid. Somebody will know this stuff better than I do. Everybody is looking at me. Those are lousy reasons to be afraid. The only good reason to be afraid is that they won’t get your message -- that your presentation will be a flop because you’ve not prepared, and you will waste everyone’s time. Moving Your Message Studies indicate that audiences retain much less of what we tell them than we would like -- perhaps half of a luncheon presentation by dinnertime and only a tiny fraction of it by the end of the week. Knowing that information stored in the audience brain mass is notoriously perishable, you have three possibilities as you attack this information leakage: 1. get them to remember more of what you say; 2. get them to remember what you say longer; and, 3. get them to remember what you want them to remember. We know the audience won’t remember all of what we say, or for long. The best we can do is to get them to remember a few key points. This we do by building some peaks or spikes into the content -- something memorable, along the lines of television sound bites.
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About the Book
A meaty, how-to book for executives, Word From the Top explains fast, simple and painless ways to communicate. It deals with writing, speeches and presentations, meetings and listening skills. Written by a pro with 40 years’ experience in corporate communications, it’s practical, it’s simple and it’s fast and easy to read, thanks to a crisp and mildly irreverent style. Word From the Top is written for the chief executive and for everyone who articulates policy, strategy and results on paper or at the podium. With shareholders, analysts, reporters, lawyers, lenders and employees listening, a lot is riding on the executive’s ability to communicate. "Read this, Boss. Then get out there and knock ‘em dead."
About the Author
Thomas E. Fuszard is a corporate communications consultant and writer living in Southern California. He has been involved in corporate communications for 40 years. A consultant providing speechwriting and other editorial services, Fuszard also leads training workshops and coaches executives in business writing and presentation skills. Tom Fuszard started his career as a reporter for Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. Before establishing his corporate communications practice in 1980, he spent 20 years with three Big Board-listed companies, primarily in investor relations.