What do you think?
Rate this book
By Andy Craig - Weekend Language: Presenting with More Stories and Less PowerPoin (2013-12-16) [Paperback]
Think about on weekends, we’re all great communicators because our default is storytelling. When we go to a party on Saturday night, we don’t talk about how we optimized our calendar last Wednesday to monetize our mission-critical, best-of-breed, seamless-solution-provider business. (If you do, that’s probably why you haven’t been invited back to many parties). No, on the weekends our speech is conversational, simple, clear, and interesting. We speak in examples, anecdotes, and analogies. But then Monday morning hits. We step into the office and suddenly we’re full of feature lists and ten-point plans, “high level” terms and nonsense. As if that wasn’t bad enough, we beat the snot out of our audiences with 118-slide PowerPoint presentations chock-full of text. Audience members typically don’t remember anything from those types of presentations. But they do remember stories. The approach and techniques found in this book are designed to help you replicate your existing strengths as a weekend storyteller so you can drag them into your weekday presentations to and conversations with customers, partners, employees, and investors. That way, you can be a great communicator every day of the week.
Paperback
First published November 27, 2013
273 people are currently reading
1351 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 9, 2025
short version - ban powerpoint for 30 days to be a better presenter
Every day, 30 million PowerPoint presentations are delivered worldwide – and 90% of them fail to engage their audiences
funny parts:
- On the weekend, you’re a natural storyteller, sharing anecdotes that make friends laugh, gasp, and repeat your story across the room. By Monday morning, however, you’ve transformed into someone who discusses “mission-critical, synergetic, seamless solutions” while bombarding colleagues with 118-slide presentations.
- 24% of respondents said they would rather give up sex for the night than sit through another bad presentation
notes:
- The truth is, we’re at our best when we use weekend language – conversational, clear storytelling that naturally engages listeners.
- the real problem isn’t PowerPoint itself – it’s how we use it
- Most presentations are built backwards: the speaker starts with slides and then figures out what to say. This approach leads to cluttered, ineffective content, presenters who lack clarity and confidence, and messages that don’t stick once the audience walks away.
So, what’s the alternative? One alternative approach is PechaKucha – 20 slides, 20 seconds each – which forces concise, efficient presentations of just 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Or you could follow the three-second rule, where visuals are so simple that the audience can absorb them in three seconds before returning their attention to you.
Or, take a radical step: ban PowerPoint entirely for 30 days in your organization. Without this crutch, presenters will be forced to think through each point they’re making – how to verbally illustrate it and what visuals might reinforce it instead. You’ll need to prepare more and prepare longer, but on presentation day, your audience will find it much easier to understand your message.
more notes:
- Remember that you are the presentation, not your slides. As Steve Jobs bluntly put it, “People who know what they’re talking about don’t need PowerPoint.”
- To implement this 30-day ban, remove projectors and laptops from meetings. Encourage your team to develop their narratives first, focusing on what they want the audience to do after listening. Build presentations around a single key point rather than dozens of slides.
- When you do return to using slides after your 30-day experiment, use them wisely and sparingly.
- By putting audience needs first and breaking your PowerPoint dependency, you’ll deliver more engaging, authentic, and effective presentations that people will actually remember.
- stories provide unmatched clarity for your company vision, products, and purpose. When you harness narrative power in presentations, you are directly connecting with your audience on a human level.
- The reality is, your audience hates corporate jargon – those empty phrases that sound important but say nothing. No one cares about a company being a “leading provider of end-to-end, mission-critical solutions.” They care about what they get from working with you. Stories convey these messages without sounding artificial or impersonal.
- To find great stories, think like a journalist. Do the reporting. Talk to the people in your company who know the details.
A simple word can transform any presentation: "Imagine." Saying, “Imagine you’re the head of technology at Zappos after a security breach exposes 24 million users’ data to hackers…” immediately makes abstract cybersecurity software feel urgent and real.
For your next presentation, find a story that connects directly to your key message. The extra effort to uncover and develop these stories will pay off when your audience remembers what you said – long after all those bullet points have faded from memory.
more more notes:
- The first two minutes of any presentation are critical. During these opening moments, your audience is fully engaged – eyes and ears wide open, actively listening and neurologically hooked. After this brief window, however, there’s usually a huge drop-off in attention.
- Many presenters make the fatal mistake of saving their best content for last. Instead, lead with your strongest material and organize everything using journalism’s inverted pyramid structure – most important information first, supporting details later.
- Your message needs to pass what the experts call the ‘So what? Who cares? test’ that audiences instinctively apply. When a customer asks “What do you do?” they’re actually asking “What can you do for me?”
- Help your audience track your progress by using signposts.
- By clearly indicating your presentation’s duration and structure, then finishing slightly early, you earn audience appreciation. People value speakers who respect their time and provide a roadmap for the presentation journey.
- To structure your communication effectively, use magic words that naturally lead to clarity and engagement. Phrases like “What that means is,” “For example,” “Our customers tell us,” “Think of it this way,” and “What makes us different” seamlessly guide your audience toward deeper understanding while reinforcing key points with relatable stories.
- Remember, when crafting your narrative, step into your audience’s shoes. If you were sitting in the twentieth row, what would you want to hear? Your presentation should feel authentic, conversational, and laser-focused on audience benefits. The goal isn’t just to inform – it’s to connect, engage, and leave a lasting impression.
-So, you've crafted the content and structure of your presentation – but that’s only half the battle. How you deliver your message matters just as much as what you say. According to research by Dr. Albert Mehrabian, up to 93% of audience perception comes from vocal tone and body language, not just words. This means your physical delivery can either amplify your message, or completely undermine it.
- A study found these fillers constituted 25% of recorded conversations. One corporate economist’s presentation was so riddled with “ums” that executives began betting on how many he’d use rather than listening to his analysis.
- By aligning your words, voice, and body, you’ll deliver presentations that feel authentic and engaging. Your audience won’t just hear your message – they’ll feel it.
- The most natural-looking, seemingly effortless presentations require the most rigorous preparation. Many executives resist practicing, often claiming they do their best work when being spontaneous. Yet Steve Jobs – often cited as the epitome of an authentic, spontaneous presenter – would spend two full days in dress rehearsal for each 45-minute Macworld keynote, even having a Porta-Potty installed so he wouldn’t need to leave the stage.
Every day, 30 million PowerPoint presentations are delivered worldwide – and 90% of them fail to engage their audiences
funny parts:
- On the weekend, you’re a natural storyteller, sharing anecdotes that make friends laugh, gasp, and repeat your story across the room. By Monday morning, however, you’ve transformed into someone who discusses “mission-critical, synergetic, seamless solutions” while bombarding colleagues with 118-slide presentations.
- 24% of respondents said they would rather give up sex for the night than sit through another bad presentation
notes:
- The truth is, we’re at our best when we use weekend language – conversational, clear storytelling that naturally engages listeners.
- the real problem isn’t PowerPoint itself – it’s how we use it
- Most presentations are built backwards: the speaker starts with slides and then figures out what to say. This approach leads to cluttered, ineffective content, presenters who lack clarity and confidence, and messages that don’t stick once the audience walks away.
So, what’s the alternative? One alternative approach is PechaKucha – 20 slides, 20 seconds each – which forces concise, efficient presentations of just 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Or you could follow the three-second rule, where visuals are so simple that the audience can absorb them in three seconds before returning their attention to you.
Or, take a radical step: ban PowerPoint entirely for 30 days in your organization. Without this crutch, presenters will be forced to think through each point they’re making – how to verbally illustrate it and what visuals might reinforce it instead. You’ll need to prepare more and prepare longer, but on presentation day, your audience will find it much easier to understand your message.
more notes:
- Remember that you are the presentation, not your slides. As Steve Jobs bluntly put it, “People who know what they’re talking about don’t need PowerPoint.”
- To implement this 30-day ban, remove projectors and laptops from meetings. Encourage your team to develop their narratives first, focusing on what they want the audience to do after listening. Build presentations around a single key point rather than dozens of slides.
- When you do return to using slides after your 30-day experiment, use them wisely and sparingly.
- By putting audience needs first and breaking your PowerPoint dependency, you’ll deliver more engaging, authentic, and effective presentations that people will actually remember.
- stories provide unmatched clarity for your company vision, products, and purpose. When you harness narrative power in presentations, you are directly connecting with your audience on a human level.
- The reality is, your audience hates corporate jargon – those empty phrases that sound important but say nothing. No one cares about a company being a “leading provider of end-to-end, mission-critical solutions.” They care about what they get from working with you. Stories convey these messages without sounding artificial or impersonal.
- To find great stories, think like a journalist. Do the reporting. Talk to the people in your company who know the details.
A simple word can transform any presentation: "Imagine." Saying, “Imagine you’re the head of technology at Zappos after a security breach exposes 24 million users’ data to hackers…” immediately makes abstract cybersecurity software feel urgent and real.
For your next presentation, find a story that connects directly to your key message. The extra effort to uncover and develop these stories will pay off when your audience remembers what you said – long after all those bullet points have faded from memory.
more more notes:
- The first two minutes of any presentation are critical. During these opening moments, your audience is fully engaged – eyes and ears wide open, actively listening and neurologically hooked. After this brief window, however, there’s usually a huge drop-off in attention.
- Many presenters make the fatal mistake of saving their best content for last. Instead, lead with your strongest material and organize everything using journalism’s inverted pyramid structure – most important information first, supporting details later.
- Your message needs to pass what the experts call the ‘So what? Who cares? test’ that audiences instinctively apply. When a customer asks “What do you do?” they’re actually asking “What can you do for me?”
- Help your audience track your progress by using signposts.
- By clearly indicating your presentation’s duration and structure, then finishing slightly early, you earn audience appreciation. People value speakers who respect their time and provide a roadmap for the presentation journey.
- To structure your communication effectively, use magic words that naturally lead to clarity and engagement. Phrases like “What that means is,” “For example,” “Our customers tell us,” “Think of it this way,” and “What makes us different” seamlessly guide your audience toward deeper understanding while reinforcing key points with relatable stories.
- Remember, when crafting your narrative, step into your audience’s shoes. If you were sitting in the twentieth row, what would you want to hear? Your presentation should feel authentic, conversational, and laser-focused on audience benefits. The goal isn’t just to inform – it’s to connect, engage, and leave a lasting impression.
-So, you've crafted the content and structure of your presentation – but that’s only half the battle. How you deliver your message matters just as much as what you say. According to research by Dr. Albert Mehrabian, up to 93% of audience perception comes from vocal tone and body language, not just words. This means your physical delivery can either amplify your message, or completely undermine it.
- A study found these fillers constituted 25% of recorded conversations. One corporate economist’s presentation was so riddled with “ums” that executives began betting on how many he’d use rather than listening to his analysis.
- By aligning your words, voice, and body, you’ll deliver presentations that feel authentic and engaging. Your audience won’t just hear your message – they’ll feel it.
- The most natural-looking, seemingly effortless presentations require the most rigorous preparation. Many executives resist practicing, often claiming they do their best work when being spontaneous. Yet Steve Jobs – often cited as the epitome of an authentic, spontaneous presenter – would spend two full days in dress rehearsal for each 45-minute Macworld keynote, even having a Porta-Potty installed so he wouldn’t need to leave the stage.
October 6, 2018
The book provides a few simple and helpful tips on how to improve your presentation skills woven around the concept of story telling. Unfortunately, the text is bloated, repetitive and lacks substance. For each hint, which the authors give, they do not explain how to implement it in detail. Instead, multiple examples are given to proof their point, but those do not help the reader to actually implement any hint. I suggest to cut down on the bloat and provide more substantial help for future revisions.
For the sake of other potential readers, who might waste time & money, I summarised the whole of the book in the following short list (SPOILERS):
-Journalism 101
-Inverted Pyramid
-Meaning & Attention First, then details
-Stories/Anecdotes/Examples/Hypotheticals/Imagine
-Story before PowerPoint slides
-You are in the center, not the slides
-Do it for the audience. What is in for them?
-Answer So what? and Who cares?
-Use easy2understand English, clear and simple. Feynman-style (for audience)
-Practice.
-Structure and Agenda (incl estimated time), “signposting“
-Pause and Pace
-Motion and “no podium“, present naked
-Gesture, Mimics, Eye Contact, Smile
-check the stage
-Video footage and evaluation forms
-Practice, Practice, Practice
“each minute of a fabulous presentation takes 1 hour of presentation."
For the sake of other potential readers, who might waste time & money, I summarised the whole of the book in the following short list (SPOILERS):
-Journalism 101
-Inverted Pyramid
-Meaning & Attention First, then details
-Stories/Anecdotes/Examples/Hypotheticals/Imagine
-Story before PowerPoint slides
-You are in the center, not the slides
-Do it for the audience. What is in for them?
-Answer So what? and Who cares?
-Use easy2understand English, clear and simple. Feynman-style (for audience)
-Practice.
-Structure and Agenda (incl estimated time), “signposting“
-Pause and Pace
-Motion and “no podium“, present naked
-Gesture, Mimics, Eye Contact, Smile
-check the stage
-Video footage and evaluation forms
-Practice, Practice, Practice
“each minute of a fabulous presentation takes 1 hour of presentation."
Read
April 9, 2025In "Weekend Language", Andy Craig and Dave Yewman argue that most business presentations are dreadfully forgettable because presenters abandon their natural storytelling instincts in favor of stiff, jargon-filled monologues bolstered by endless PowerPoint slides. The book's core message is simple: to be a compelling communicator at work, you need to talk the way you do on the weekend. When we speak informally—with friends at a barbecue, say—we naturally tell stories. We’re animated, clear, and real. But Monday morning arrives, and the same people who had everyone captivated with a hilarious vacation story suddenly transform into robots reciting phrases like “seamless integration” and “synergistic deliverables” in front of 118-slide decks.
This shift in tone from authentic to corporate is what kills engagement. People don’t retain bullet points. They remember stories. They retell anecdotes, not charts. The premise of the book is to help people bridge the gap between their relaxed, engaging “weekend” language and their overly formal “weekday” communication style. The goal is to reclaim that authentic voice and bring it into the boardroom. This shift doesn’t just improve presentations—it transforms how ideas are received and remembered.
One of the book’s boldest suggestions is to completely ban PowerPoint for 30 days. At first, this seems radical, even terrifying, to most presenters. But that’s exactly the point. When you remove the slide deck crutch, you’re forced to focus on your actual message. You have to think about how you’ll communicate it using your own words, examples, and stories. You’ll put more effort into planning, but the reward is a presentation that people actually understand and remember. The authors cite examples like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, who proved that storytelling, not slides, is what truly captivates an audience. Whether it's Gates releasing mosquitoes at a TED Talk or executives ditching screens for flip charts and handouts, the best communicators rely on simplicity and human connection.
Of course, the problem isn’t PowerPoint itself—it’s how people misuse it. Most presentations start backwards: with slides. Speakers then retrofit their talk around the visuals, rather than crafting a clear narrative and letting visuals support it. To avoid this trap, the authors recommend either highly structured formats like PechaKucha (20 slides, 20 seconds each) or applying the “three-second rule,” where each visual should be understood in three seconds or less, allowing focus to return to the speaker. Even when you return to using slides after the PowerPoint detox, use them sparingly and purposefully—blank the screen when not needed, hide complex slides meant only for handouts, and keep your focus on the human-to-human connection.
At the heart of all great presentations is storytelling. And storytelling isn’t some mysterious talent reserved for writers and filmmakers—it’s a natural human skill we all use in casual conversations. The problem is that people don’t bring those same instincts into business contexts. Yet stories, more than any other communication form, help audiences relate, understand, and remember.
The authors walk through several types of stories and storytelling tools that can be used in business. Examples are especially powerful because they turn abstract ideas into something concrete. For instance, a company selling scalable technology could talk about its technical specs—or it could share the story of how NASA used its platform to stream a deep space event to millions. Which is more memorable?
Anecdotes add emotional relevance and personality. Analogies help audiences grasp complex concepts instantly by connecting them to something familiar. One example the authors mention is Golfsmith branding itself as “a candy store for golfers.” Suddenly, everyone understands what kind of experience the company is offering. Backstories lend authenticity and depth—no one is inspired by “seamless computing,” but they might be captivated by the story of two engineers building a touchscreen prototype in a garage with duct tape and an IKEA table.
Finding the right story takes work. You have to talk to your team, dig into your customer experiences, and think like a journalist. But the extra effort pays off when your audience walks away repeating your message—not your slides. Even using a simple word like “imagine” can radically improve audience connection. Framing a scenario that lets them mentally place themselves in the story makes a topic suddenly personal and relevant.
When it comes to structuring a presentation, many people make the mistake of saving their strongest material for the end. But attention drops sharply after the first couple of minutes, so it’s critical to start strong. Use journalism’s inverted pyramid: lead with the most important point, then build in detail. Every part of your message should pass the “So what? Who cares?” test. If it doesn’t directly speak to your audience’s needs, it’s fluff.
Use clear signposts to help your audience follow along. The human brain loves structure. That’s why formats like “Top 10 lists” work so well—they give people a way to track your progress. Tell your audience up front how long your talk is and what they can expect. Finish slightly earlier than promised, and you’ll instantly earn goodwill.
Clarity is not dumbing it down. It takes intelligence to make complex things easy to understand. Richard Feynman, one of history’s great physicists, said that if you can’t explain something simply, you don’t truly understand it. Business presentations should follow the same rule. Use relatable language and guiding phrases like “What that means is…” or “Think of it this way…” to connect complex ideas to your listeners’ world.
The book also emphasizes the importance of delivery—because no matter how good your content is, how you present it makes all the difference. Studies suggest that up to 93% of communication is non-verbal, relying on tone and body language. A well-placed pause, like those used by President Obama during speeches, can underscore a point more than any visual ever could. Pausing creates rhythm and gives audiences time to digest key messages. Strategic use of volume, speed, and movement further enhances engagement. Avoid filler words like “um” and “you know,” which distract from your message and suggest nervousness or lack of preparation.
Physical movement also plays a role. Moving intentionally across the stage forces your audience to track you—mentally and physically. Eye contact builds trust, while podiums often act as barriers. Gesture size should match the venue. And perhaps most importantly, open with a smile. It sets the tone and encourages your audience to mirror your energy.
Finally, "Weekend Language" stresses that behind every great “spontaneous” performance is a mountain of practice. The most confident speakers—Jobs, Churchill, King—were relentless in their preparation. Rehearsing out loud, recording yourself, and seeking feedback may feel tedious or awkward, but they’re what separate good presenters from great ones. Practicing aloud builds muscle memory. Watching yourself on video shows you what others see, and even the most minor adjustments in posture or pace can make a massive difference in how your message is received.
Approach presentation practice like an athlete watching game footage: break down your performance, improve the weak points, and sharpen your strengths. Use evaluation forms that assess your content, vocal delivery, and body language. Aim to rehearse at least one hour for every minute of your talk. While it sounds excessive, the long-term benefits far outweigh the time investment—especially when your credibility and influence are on the line.
In conclusion, "Weekend Language" offers a practical, no-nonsense blueprint for transforming the way professionals communicate. It rejects the tired, lifeless presentation style that’s come to dominate the workplace and replaces it with something more powerful: authentic storytelling. By ditching jargon, trimming slides, and focusing on what really matters—engaging people—you can give talks that leave a lasting impact. This shift might feel uncomfortable at first, but it unlocks a critical skill: the ability to connect, inspire, and be remembered.
This shift in tone from authentic to corporate is what kills engagement. People don’t retain bullet points. They remember stories. They retell anecdotes, not charts. The premise of the book is to help people bridge the gap between their relaxed, engaging “weekend” language and their overly formal “weekday” communication style. The goal is to reclaim that authentic voice and bring it into the boardroom. This shift doesn’t just improve presentations—it transforms how ideas are received and remembered.
One of the book’s boldest suggestions is to completely ban PowerPoint for 30 days. At first, this seems radical, even terrifying, to most presenters. But that’s exactly the point. When you remove the slide deck crutch, you’re forced to focus on your actual message. You have to think about how you’ll communicate it using your own words, examples, and stories. You’ll put more effort into planning, but the reward is a presentation that people actually understand and remember. The authors cite examples like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, who proved that storytelling, not slides, is what truly captivates an audience. Whether it's Gates releasing mosquitoes at a TED Talk or executives ditching screens for flip charts and handouts, the best communicators rely on simplicity and human connection.
Of course, the problem isn’t PowerPoint itself—it’s how people misuse it. Most presentations start backwards: with slides. Speakers then retrofit their talk around the visuals, rather than crafting a clear narrative and letting visuals support it. To avoid this trap, the authors recommend either highly structured formats like PechaKucha (20 slides, 20 seconds each) or applying the “three-second rule,” where each visual should be understood in three seconds or less, allowing focus to return to the speaker. Even when you return to using slides after the PowerPoint detox, use them sparingly and purposefully—blank the screen when not needed, hide complex slides meant only for handouts, and keep your focus on the human-to-human connection.
At the heart of all great presentations is storytelling. And storytelling isn’t some mysterious talent reserved for writers and filmmakers—it’s a natural human skill we all use in casual conversations. The problem is that people don’t bring those same instincts into business contexts. Yet stories, more than any other communication form, help audiences relate, understand, and remember.
The authors walk through several types of stories and storytelling tools that can be used in business. Examples are especially powerful because they turn abstract ideas into something concrete. For instance, a company selling scalable technology could talk about its technical specs—or it could share the story of how NASA used its platform to stream a deep space event to millions. Which is more memorable?
Anecdotes add emotional relevance and personality. Analogies help audiences grasp complex concepts instantly by connecting them to something familiar. One example the authors mention is Golfsmith branding itself as “a candy store for golfers.” Suddenly, everyone understands what kind of experience the company is offering. Backstories lend authenticity and depth—no one is inspired by “seamless computing,” but they might be captivated by the story of two engineers building a touchscreen prototype in a garage with duct tape and an IKEA table.
Finding the right story takes work. You have to talk to your team, dig into your customer experiences, and think like a journalist. But the extra effort pays off when your audience walks away repeating your message—not your slides. Even using a simple word like “imagine” can radically improve audience connection. Framing a scenario that lets them mentally place themselves in the story makes a topic suddenly personal and relevant.
When it comes to structuring a presentation, many people make the mistake of saving their strongest material for the end. But attention drops sharply after the first couple of minutes, so it’s critical to start strong. Use journalism’s inverted pyramid: lead with the most important point, then build in detail. Every part of your message should pass the “So what? Who cares?” test. If it doesn’t directly speak to your audience’s needs, it’s fluff.
Use clear signposts to help your audience follow along. The human brain loves structure. That’s why formats like “Top 10 lists” work so well—they give people a way to track your progress. Tell your audience up front how long your talk is and what they can expect. Finish slightly earlier than promised, and you’ll instantly earn goodwill.
Clarity is not dumbing it down. It takes intelligence to make complex things easy to understand. Richard Feynman, one of history’s great physicists, said that if you can’t explain something simply, you don’t truly understand it. Business presentations should follow the same rule. Use relatable language and guiding phrases like “What that means is…” or “Think of it this way…” to connect complex ideas to your listeners’ world.
The book also emphasizes the importance of delivery—because no matter how good your content is, how you present it makes all the difference. Studies suggest that up to 93% of communication is non-verbal, relying on tone and body language. A well-placed pause, like those used by President Obama during speeches, can underscore a point more than any visual ever could. Pausing creates rhythm and gives audiences time to digest key messages. Strategic use of volume, speed, and movement further enhances engagement. Avoid filler words like “um” and “you know,” which distract from your message and suggest nervousness or lack of preparation.
Physical movement also plays a role. Moving intentionally across the stage forces your audience to track you—mentally and physically. Eye contact builds trust, while podiums often act as barriers. Gesture size should match the venue. And perhaps most importantly, open with a smile. It sets the tone and encourages your audience to mirror your energy.
Finally, "Weekend Language" stresses that behind every great “spontaneous” performance is a mountain of practice. The most confident speakers—Jobs, Churchill, King—were relentless in their preparation. Rehearsing out loud, recording yourself, and seeking feedback may feel tedious or awkward, but they’re what separate good presenters from great ones. Practicing aloud builds muscle memory. Watching yourself on video shows you what others see, and even the most minor adjustments in posture or pace can make a massive difference in how your message is received.
Approach presentation practice like an athlete watching game footage: break down your performance, improve the weak points, and sharpen your strengths. Use evaluation forms that assess your content, vocal delivery, and body language. Aim to rehearse at least one hour for every minute of your talk. While it sounds excessive, the long-term benefits far outweigh the time investment—especially when your credibility and influence are on the line.
In conclusion, "Weekend Language" offers a practical, no-nonsense blueprint for transforming the way professionals communicate. It rejects the tired, lifeless presentation style that’s come to dominate the workplace and replaces it with something more powerful: authentic storytelling. By ditching jargon, trimming slides, and focusing on what really matters—engaging people—you can give talks that leave a lasting impact. This shift might feel uncomfortable at first, but it unlocks a critical skill: the ability to connect, inspire, and be remembered.
April 9, 2025
effective business communication comes from tapping into your natural weekend storytelling skills – even in professional settings. Instead of relying on PowerPoint as a crutch, focus on crafting clear, compelling narratives first. Use concrete examples, anecdotes, and analogies to make abstract concepts tangible and meaningful for your audience.
When structuring your content, lead with your strongest material in the first two minutes, following journalism’s inverted pyramid approach. Always pass the So what? Who cares? test by focusing on audience benefits rather than dry technical features. Use signposts to help listeners follow your message, and finish slightly early – your audience will appreciate it.
Delivery matters just as much as content. Since up to 93% of audience perception comes from vocal tone and body language, mastering strategic pauses, controlled pacing, and purposeful movement will enhance your message. Eliminate distracting verbal fillers through deliberate preparation and practice.
The best presenters – from Steve Jobs to Winston Churchill – may seem effortlessly spontaneous, but their secret is rigorous preparation. Practice out loud, record yourself, and seek structured feedback to continuously refine your delivery.
While shifting your presentation approach may feel uncomfortable at first, the ability to truly connect with and persuade others is a skill that will serve you throughout your professional life.
When structuring your content, lead with your strongest material in the first two minutes, following journalism’s inverted pyramid approach. Always pass the So what? Who cares? test by focusing on audience benefits rather than dry technical features. Use signposts to help listeners follow your message, and finish slightly early – your audience will appreciate it.
Delivery matters just as much as content. Since up to 93% of audience perception comes from vocal tone and body language, mastering strategic pauses, controlled pacing, and purposeful movement will enhance your message. Eliminate distracting verbal fillers through deliberate preparation and practice.
The best presenters – from Steve Jobs to Winston Churchill – may seem effortlessly spontaneous, but their secret is rigorous preparation. Practice out loud, record yourself, and seek structured feedback to continuously refine your delivery.
While shifting your presentation approach may feel uncomfortable at first, the ability to truly connect with and persuade others is a skill that will serve you throughout your professional life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2025
5 stars. Very happy to have read this book.
This is a quick book about how to give better presentations. And I am a presentation SNOB. I've sat through SO MANY hour long presentations, with 20 to 40 people in the room, that were a TOTAL waste of time. The presenter didn't understand their audience. Or didn't prepare. Or wasn't comfortable. Or was too quiet. OR WHATEVER. I'm looking around the room thinking about the wasted time = wasted money. ITS CRAZY.
So this book confirmed a lot of my priors.
Its quick and to the point.
You can read this baby in like 2 hours. And they make some good points. Give it a read yourself. Or just trust me:
- Rely on your PPT slides less. Ideally, each slide is just one image.
- Tell more stories! And script your stories, before you put together your slides. Create the slides as your last step (not the first)
- Keep your visual simple.
- Practice a BUNCH. Work your voice, body language, eye contact.
- Bring a bottle of water.
- Smile.
- Never ever go long.
- Pause often, and intentionally
- Start loud, then settle into a conversational tone
- Move around
- Presentations that APPEAR EFORTLESS are not achieved by "winging it", but practicing A LOT.
This is a quick book about how to give better presentations. And I am a presentation SNOB. I've sat through SO MANY hour long presentations, with 20 to 40 people in the room, that were a TOTAL waste of time. The presenter didn't understand their audience. Or didn't prepare. Or wasn't comfortable. Or was too quiet. OR WHATEVER. I'm looking around the room thinking about the wasted time = wasted money. ITS CRAZY.
So this book confirmed a lot of my priors.
Its quick and to the point.
You can read this baby in like 2 hours. And they make some good points. Give it a read yourself. Or just trust me:
- Rely on your PPT slides less. Ideally, each slide is just one image.
- Tell more stories! And script your stories, before you put together your slides. Create the slides as your last step (not the first)
- Keep your visual simple.
- Practice a BUNCH. Work your voice, body language, eye contact.
- Bring a bottle of water.
- Smile.
- Never ever go long.
- Pause often, and intentionally
- Start loud, then settle into a conversational tone
- Move around
- Presentations that APPEAR EFORTLESS are not achieved by "winging it", but practicing A LOT.
June 7, 2021
It’s Monday, let me ask you three questions…
How many presentations are you going to have to sit through this week?
How many presentations are you going to deliver this week?
How many of these are going to SUCK?
If the answer to any of these questions is greater than Zero, let me recommend the book Weekend Language by Andy Craig and Dave Yewman. The meaning of the title is that during the week we tend to talk in jargon, sound bites and generally use language that is meaningless to our audience. But on the weekend when we are with our friends, we tell stories, engage in meaningful discussions, and generally are more interesting to be in a conversation with.
Andy and Dave build off of the acronym STORY which stands for:
Suspend Powerpoint
Tell a Story
Organize your Narrative
Remember Mehrabian
You MUST Prepare
They use excellent stories and examples and offer tested strategies to demonstrate how you can be that same engaging speaker Monday thru Friday that you are on Saturday and Sunday.
This short 106-page book takes a short time to read and a lifetime to master. So why not start becoming a more engaging storyteller today?
How many presentations are you going to have to sit through this week?
How many presentations are you going to deliver this week?
How many of these are going to SUCK?
If the answer to any of these questions is greater than Zero, let me recommend the book Weekend Language by Andy Craig and Dave Yewman. The meaning of the title is that during the week we tend to talk in jargon, sound bites and generally use language that is meaningless to our audience. But on the weekend when we are with our friends, we tell stories, engage in meaningful discussions, and generally are more interesting to be in a conversation with.
Andy and Dave build off of the acronym STORY which stands for:
Suspend Powerpoint
Tell a Story
Organize your Narrative
Remember Mehrabian
You MUST Prepare
They use excellent stories and examples and offer tested strategies to demonstrate how you can be that same engaging speaker Monday thru Friday that you are on Saturday and Sunday.
This short 106-page book takes a short time to read and a lifetime to master. So why not start becoming a more engaging storyteller today?
January 19, 2025
The Weekend Language is all about storytelling and keeping your messages simple. In an age where many corporate executives suffer from PowerPoint fatigue, the author come up with a simple framework to prioritize telling a good story first, capturing the audience's attention and then create supporting slides as needed after. The author adds a lot of real life examples to make it a pleasant read. However do not pay full price for this book (my mistake after one of our leaders in work recommended it).
For each hint, which the authors give, they do not explain how to implement it in detail. It somehow feels like a preface to something that could have been much more powerful. Sometimes the book just feels like a hyperlink to the authors' website. It is also missing out in the bibliography department. Do not expect many references to actual research.
Nonetheless, a nice and interesting read. It gives one several useful tips on how to communicate more efficiently.
For each hint, which the authors give, they do not explain how to implement it in detail. It somehow feels like a preface to something that could have been much more powerful. Sometimes the book just feels like a hyperlink to the authors' website. It is also missing out in the bibliography department. Do not expect many references to actual research.
Nonetheless, a nice and interesting read. It gives one several useful tips on how to communicate more efficiently.
June 6, 2018
The Weekend Language is all about storytelling and keeping the message drop-dead simple.
In that spirit, they authors come up with a simple framework and add a lot of real life examples to make it a pleasant read.
However, it somehow feels like a preface to something that could have been much more powerful. Sometimes the book just feels like a hyperlink to the authors' website. It is also missing out in the bibliography department. Do not expect many references to actual research.
Nonetheless, a nice and interesting read. It gives one several useful tips on how to communicate more efficiently. And that is a very handy skill, not only in a professional setting.
In that spirit, they authors come up with a simple framework and add a lot of real life examples to make it a pleasant read.
However, it somehow feels like a preface to something that could have been much more powerful. Sometimes the book just feels like a hyperlink to the authors' website. It is also missing out in the bibliography department. Do not expect many references to actual research.
Nonetheless, a nice and interesting read. It gives one several useful tips on how to communicate more efficiently. And that is a very handy skill, not only in a professional setting.
February 21, 2025
Had seen Accenture CEO was recommending as one of the most important books to read. Yet another one that explains common wisdom for presentations without offering anything extraordinary. The advice to ditch the slide-heavy approach, focus on storytelling, and prepare meticulously has been said a million times before. While the S.T.O.R.Y. methodology (suspend PowerPoint, tell a story, organize your narrative, remember Mehrabian, you must prepare) neatly encapsulates these ideas, there's little new here for anyone already familiar with basic presentation techniques. If you're a novice looking for a refresher, it might help—but seasoned presenters will likely find it to be a rehash of common sense rather than groundbreaking insight.
March 24, 2018
A good summary of guidelines on how to prepare and deliver presentations
The book is short, present the ideas concisely and has the right amount of statistics and examples to illustrate the importance and value of the proposed approach. The guidelines and directions you find on this book will help you, as long you work enough, the prepare and deliver effective presentations. Recommendations are down-to-earth and credible. I definitely recommend this book.
The book is short, present the ideas concisely and has the right amount of statistics and examples to illustrate the importance and value of the proposed approach. The guidelines and directions you find on this book will help you, as long you work enough, the prepare and deliver effective presentations. Recommendations are down-to-earth and credible. I definitely recommend this book.
April 29, 2018
If you give presentations (we all do) you should read this book and "Lend me Your Ears" my Professor Max Atkinson. Weekend Language is especially good at getting people to simplify language as well as make sure we tell stories.
Two vital points in the modern world if we want people to listen to what we say and invite us back next year to speak, again, at a conference, sales kick off etc.
A bad presentation reflects bad on us and there are no excuses not to get it right, first time.
Two vital points in the modern world if we want people to listen to what we say and invite us back next year to speak, again, at a conference, sales kick off etc.
A bad presentation reflects bad on us and there are no excuses not to get it right, first time.
May 26, 2020
Read for a work book club; picked up a couple of useful tips but nothing groundbreaking. The anecdotes strewn throughout aren’t that useful to illustrate the points, so they come off as namedropping and advertising for the authors’ consulting services. It was a quick read and mildly useful, but I was annoyed about it the whole time. My tolerance for the “corporate self-help” genre is very low, though, so your mileage may vary.
March 4, 2025
i was assigned this for work.
not bad, but not as relevant to what i'm currently working on as i'd have liked. (in the midst of designing hour long powerpoints for online trainings, so "don't use powerpoint, or get your presentations to six minutes!" doesn't really apply at the moment.)
half-jokingly, if you really want a masterclass in good/bad presentations and styles, watch smartypants on dropout, and observe who reads off the screen and who barely references it.
not bad, but not as relevant to what i'm currently working on as i'd have liked. (in the midst of designing hour long powerpoints for online trainings, so "don't use powerpoint, or get your presentations to six minutes!" doesn't really apply at the moment.)
half-jokingly, if you really want a masterclass in good/bad presentations and styles, watch smartypants on dropout, and observe who reads off the screen and who barely references it.
April 27, 2018
Great book to ground you in the basics of delivering a great presentation.
No matter how good you are it helps to get back to the basic elements of a great story. I'd recommend this to anyone who has to give presentations. I particularly too away the mosquitoes example, how to open making a visual instead of a statement. That's gonna stick with me.
No matter how good you are it helps to get back to the basic elements of a great story. I'd recommend this to anyone who has to give presentations. I particularly too away the mosquitoes example, how to open making a visual instead of a statement. That's gonna stick with me.
February 4, 2020
This book is all about how and why to drop power point slides and drive your next meeting or presentation as a story telling without powerpoint presentations. How to become good public speaker and start preparing story first and then to support it create powerpoint presentations (only of necessary).
April 8, 2024
The book is good mix of strategies which can be adopted to be a good speaker. The book focuses on usage of simple English instead of non comprehensible jargons, preparing the notes as per the targeted audience. The book also helps with certain techniques which can be utilized for a better communication.
A good book on basics of good speeches.
A good book on basics of good speeches.
December 13, 2024
The authors mentioned that their second favourite title for the book was „the bleeding obvious“, which in fact is a good description. But even though the points might not be completely new, few people still consistently apply them. A good review of presentation best practices put in a memorable way (acronym STORY). I did not give it 5 stars since at times I still found it a bit dry to read.
February 17, 2019
Short, yet compelling & powerful read.
- I loved that it was a short read. A couple of hours only.
- And that it was simple and easy to understand & very practical, with great examples and specific steps one can begin practicing immediately.
- I loved that it was a short read. A couple of hours only.
- And that it was simple and easy to understand & very practical, with great examples and specific steps one can begin practicing immediately.
August 7, 2020
Highly recommended reading for all everyone who communicates with their clients, vendors and stakeholders, strategy and marketing folks.
Thank you Craig for making it simple and concise to understand
Thank you Craig for making it simple and concise to understand
August 2, 2022
A quick read with some tips but mostly reinforcement of things I already knew. They omitted one transgression that so many speakers make- READING their handout on screen word for word. Either give me the handout, or tell me the info. Do not do both. You are seriously wasting my time.
September 3, 2022
Read this during an internship. Excellent book about story telling and used by the company's innovation team when presenting. Top line is to be engaging, casual, personal and interesting over drawled out facts. Why should we care >>>> who are you?
December 21, 2023
This book seems great for public speakers or executives who are involved with several public speaking events. That said, it seems less relevant to people like myself who virtually meet with clients on a monthly basis.
I am a huge fan of the “So what? Who cares?” Method, though!
I am a huge fan of the “So what? Who cares?” Method, though!
June 4, 2024
Interesting, but seems a bit dated at this point. Either I’m so out of touch and a jarring amount of business people still use 45 slide pitch decks or this is information that modern sales people should already implemented 60%+ of
Regardless it was super quick and not a bad read.
Regardless it was super quick and not a bad read.
August 31, 2017
Good book.
Good for adding stories and the emphasis of practice.
I enjoyed "Presenting to Win" more because of the added detail.
Good for adding stories and the emphasis of practice.
I enjoyed "Presenting to Win" more because of the added detail.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2018
I enjoyed the ideas and exercises within the book. In the end, the point is really just that you need to practice. They do provide guidance on how you should practice, though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2019
Super useful book for improving public speaking. Quick and entertaining read.
April 11, 2019
No need waste 12$ for info you can easily find on the web
April 19, 2019
Great Read
Amazing stories and helpful materials overall. I recommend this book, specially to the ones that want to incorporate stories into presentations.
Amazing stories and helpful materials overall. I recommend this book, specially to the ones that want to incorporate stories into presentations.
February 4, 2020
I've done storytelling workshops at work and it's basically reiterating the same stuff so very useful if you've not done any training.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews