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Simply Said: Communicating Better at Work and Beyond by Jay Sullivan
Master the art of communication to improve outcomes in any scenario Simply Said is the essential handbook for business communication. Do you ever feel as though your message hasn't gotten across? Do details get lost along the way? Have tense situations ever escalated unnecessarily? Do people buy into your ideas? It all comes down to communication. We all communicate, but few of us do it well. From tough presentations to everyday transactions, there is no scenario that cannot be improved with better communication skills. This book presents an all-encompassing guide to improving your communication, based on the Exec|Comm we are all better communicators when we focus focus less on ourselves and more on other people. More than just a list of tips, this book connects skills with scenarios and purpose to help you hear and be heard. You'll learn the skills to deliver great presentations and clear and persuasive messages, handle difficult conversations, effectively manage, lead with authenticity and more, as you discover the secrets of true communication. Communication affects every interaction every day. Why not learn to do it well? This book provides comprehensive guidance toward getting your message across, and getting the results you want. Did that email come across as harsh? Did you offend someone unintentionally? Great communication skills give you the power to influence someone's thinking and guide them to where you need them to be. Simply Said teaches you the critical skills that make you more effective in business and in life.
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June 23, 2022Communication skills are not about “right and wrong,” but rather about a “spectrum of effectiveness.”
Being a scatterbrain I've always known that I am in a dire need to work on my communication skills as this has always been a hurdle in both my workplace and personal life.
Not being able to express myself fully with words as I've always felt the need to have too much to say without knowing how to properly portray my thoughts with clarity without stumbling over and get them jumbled right as I share them.
The current nature of my job requires me to give clear explanations and not have to restructure my sentences continuously in hopes to be able to articulate better for my team.
All this made me seek for this book, and after going through these pointers shared by Jay Sullivan multiple times, and practice them throughout my meeting, I do believe that this book has helped me improve and identify where I tend to lack, and has given practical ways on how to overcome that as well.
I absorbed this book like this is my only source to teach me how to improve myself, obsessively highlighting the parts and making sure to feed those to my subconscious mind where I can just implement these practice without thinking too much on it. Even if what was mentioned in this book would sound obvious enough to readers, it still helped put a lot of things into perspective for me.
I wrote down the highlights & key points from the book that felt important to me here:
Part One: Focus on Others
- When communicating, instead of thinking "What am I trying to convey?' ask yourself "What is someone hoping to get out of it?' to select more pertinent information.
- Being helpful to the audience is the only legitimate reason for sharing the information.
Useful trick: "You’re all here today because you’re concerned about X. I thought it would be helpful to you if we spent a few minutes talking about..." which makes you sound less self-centric.
Chapter 1: Convey a Clear Message
- If you aren’t clear about what you want them to know, there is no hope the message will get through.
- A message should be: 1) Short 2) Use simple language 3) Focused on the needs of audience
- Give your audience a simple concept to grasp and convey to others.
- Use simple language (Failing to recognise industry jargons) Big words do not impress anyone. Big Ideas do. Your goal is not to be clever, if you are sitting on that table, people already assume that you are. The goal is to be clear.
- Build rapport by staying positive and turning the conversation back to the other person.
- When we introduce ourselves based on our titles, we’re conveying that we see ourselves based on our roles. What impact do you create in this current role you are in?
Chapter 2: Telling Engaging Stories
- Should sound unrehearsed. The length of the story and the details you choose to share will vary depending on your audience and purpose. Decide what you want to accomplish, and include only those details. You can also use analogies too.
Chapter 3: Organize Your Content
Structure your information by: 1. The audience’s needs 2. The key message you want listeners to hear 3. Your purpose—to persuade them to take action or to simply convey information
- Talk about the substance, not the medium.
- When you want someone to know something, follow the
informative presentation roadmap: 1)Tell them what you’re going to tell them. 2) Tell them what you’ve got. 3) Tell them what you’ve just told them.
- When you want someone to do something, follow the persuasive presentation format i.e. mention very briefly what you want, and then to spend the majority of your talk telling your audience why they should want it
- Focus on what’s in it for your audience: Start with a hook, something to grab their attention. The best methods for this are to state a problem, quote a startling statistic, or use a rhetorical question, then the recommendation, building on to the benefits—and why should they care
Part 2: Your Oral Communication Skills
Chapter 4: Making Most Out of Your Body Language
- Look at one person at a time for a complete sentence.
- If you speak too quickly in front of an audience, you will sound as if you are apologizing for taking up their time. You’ll diminish your presence and your appearance of confidence.
- Pausing between sentences is essential for effective delivery
- Your facial expression impacts your tone of voice. When you smile genuinely, your voice automatically sounds more positive and has more energy. Your tone will sound more optimistic
- Inflection: Your voice should punctuate the important ideas you want to convey.
- Your goal with your body language is to minimize the audience’s ability to misperceive you.
- If you sit all the way back in your chair, you risk being misperceived as disengaged, bored, disinterested, or distracted. Take your space at the table. You’re there because you or someone more senior than you feels you deserve a place at the table to share your ideas and opinions.
- Our fidgeting is distracting and diminishes the impact we could have.
Chapter 5: Are You Just “Waiting to Talk”? Listening to Understand
- If you're interrupting what someone is saying, it's likely you aren't listening to them. If you do this, the person will not want to speak to you.
- Ask more probing, open ended questions.
- Don't leave room for assumptions. Clarify and confirm.
Chapter 6: Delivery from Notes & Visuals
- When delivering from notes, you want to be both organized and conversational. You will be better served if you create a set of notes to use as a “delivery tool.” Spot word
- Arc of silence
- Follow the “6 x 6” rule. No more than six words per bullet. No more than six bullets per slide.
- Dont cram everything in your slides, make a leave behind too.
Chapter 7: Responding to Questions
-Listen to the entire question, gain time to think, answer and reaffirm your main point (but be careful to not use thinking time technique during attack questions.
-Follow ART when handling emotional questions:
Acknowledge, Relate, Transition and answer
- Ask permission to answer and try giving a semblance of control over the conversation to the person asking the question
- Don't say “but,” you negate all the positive rapport you have built in the first two steps of acknowledging and relating.
- Explain and offer choice
Part 3: Your Written Communication Skills
Always ask:
“Why is the reader reading this document?”
“What does the reader need to do with the information I am sharing?”
“How can I make it effortless for the reader to get the main message?”
Chapter 8: Challenge Every Word, Editing for Clarity
- Get rid of clutter, the longer your document is the less likely it is to be read
- Eliminate “Zero” words and wordy expressions
- Avoid the mid-sentence parenthetical
- When editing, focus on three activities:
Look for telltale suffixes that suggest you are using a weak verb: -tion, -ment, -ance, -able, -ing. Look for the “to be” verb and other weak verbs. See whether there is a stronger action in the sentence and make that the verb. Circle the verb in each sentence and ask yourself: “Is that the true action I want to convey here?” By using stronger verbs, you will also write shorter sentences.
- Look for Words Ending in –tion, -ment, -ance, -ing as these endings create nouns or adjectives out of perfectly good verbs.
- Decide the true action you want to convey
Chapter 9: Structuring Your Document
- Why are you writing this document?
If your goal is to persuade: Focus on the benefits of taking your recommended course of action
If you are simply conveying information: You need to be repetitive to make sure your reader grasps your point
- Timeline method may work well for case notes or for telling a story, but it’s not the most effective way to write a business document.
- Don’t save the secret for the end and spring it on the reader. Let us know where you are headed at the start of the document.
Chapter 10: Creating Reader-Friendly Documents
- Aim for maximum 17 words per sentence
- Keep paragraphs to a quarter of the page at most
Chapter 11: Writing Emails That Resonate
- Effective subject lines
Chapter 12: Conducting Effective Client Meetings
- If you are overbearing, remember to rein it in. Ask more questions. The assumptions you made before the meeting about the client’s concerns may be completely off base.
- If you know you go off on tangents, prepare your notes carefully and use them to stay on track. Resist the urge to tell too many anecdotes. Respect the client’s time constraints.
- If you tend to provide a “data dump,” reduce your explanations to simple statements and ask, “Would more information be helpful?” If your client says, “No. I get it,” go on to the next point.
- If you tend to hesitate before taking a stand, preface your opinion by explaining that the question is a complex one, which requires some thought, or possibly some research. If you do not preface your answer and simply pause or waffle in your response, you may appear unsure of yourself
- Your main objective should always be simply to learn
- First thing: Confirm purpose of meeting, and then ask an open ended question like "What’s your greatest concern with the deal?”
- Steps
1) Set the tone: Your demeanor during the meeting is crucial.
2) Confirm the purpose of the meeting
3) Gather current information
4) Discuss your information: If the client indicates there are no other issues and clearly wants to talk about the specific purpose of the meeting, get to
it.
5) Discuss the Benefits to Your Client
6) Establish action steps: If your action items are not clear as to who does what by when, then nothing will happen
- After the meeting, immediately flesh out the notes you took
regarding the client’s concerns.
Chapter 13: Delegating Successfully
- Your goal at work isn’t to be nice; it’s to be effective
1) State the Big Picture: Let the person know how what he or she will be working on fits into the grand scheme of things for your organization
or the client.
2) Identify the Specific Assignment and Determine Expectations: First, clearly state for the person exactly what you want her to do. Second, find out how you can help the associate do her job well
3) Explain the roles of others
4) Explain the Reasons for Selecting This Individual, Especially the Benefits to Him or Her
5) Explain the Next Steps: Be clear as to how you want the person to begin work on the assignment and what work product you expect to see at
the end. Based on your experience with the junior colleague, you
also need to know how often you will need to check in
with her.
Template for asking about updates: : “Send me an email on Friday morning letting me know your progress, whether you have uncovered anything yet, and what questions you have about the process.”
6) Summarize What You Want the Person to do
Chapter 14: Giving Meaningful Feedback
- If we don’t receive feedback at work, we feel we aren’t valued, If we receive feedback that is poorly delivered, it can come across as a personal attack, motivated more by uncontrolled frustration than by a sincere desire to improve the recipient’s performance. When feedback is conveyed clearly and effectively, it encourages people to develop their talents and use all of their energy at work to perform more effectively
- Communicate to those around you that you are open to receiving feedback. Most importantly, you will gain insight into how you can improve. In addition, asking for feedback communicates to others that you are invested in improving yourself and helps to build healthy work relationships.
December 5, 2023
This was a short read. And I know this probably wasn't meant to be entertaining, but it was. It was also useful.
Overall, this book felt like a combination of simple, practical and genius....all together and at the same time. The author 's advice was applicable for work...but with a little imagination this can also fit into other areas of life. I liked his no-nonsense approach. So 4 stars.
Overall, this book felt like a combination of simple, practical and genius....all together and at the same time. The author 's advice was applicable for work...but with a little imagination this can also fit into other areas of life. I liked his no-nonsense approach. So 4 stars.
May 1, 2022
It was a fine book. Great that it’s easy to read, the author does put his advice into practice by writing clearly. The content was good, with down to earth tips primarily on presenting and writing. It slightly touches on more manager-y topics like giving feedback, vision/strategy and authenticy which are always good reminders. Some niche situations like client meetings, toasts, or brainstorms too. On the ‘can be improved’ side we have storytelling and reader engagement. I felt kinda meh as I was reading the book.
A couple of easy to remember takeaways are maintain contact with one person at a time, and think of the other person more than not yourself.
A couple of easy to remember takeaways are maintain contact with one person at a time, and think of the other person more than not yourself.
March 25, 2021
Это действительно полезная книга! Невероятно, но факт:)
Автор на своем примере показал все приемы, о которых идет речь:) Это ли не лучшая реклама? Информация структурирована, изложена кратко и по делу.
Визуально текст смотрится отлично, давно не видела книг с настолько удобным шрифтом для глаз.
Советы в книге простые, но эффективные.
На меня большое впечатление произвела мысль о том, что слушатели всегда желают выступающему успеха и хотят, чтобы его выступление прошло удачно и они получили от него пользу. Иначе им придется наблюдать за скучным, бэкающим-мэкающим оратором и потратить время впустую. Никогда не думала об этом в таком ключе:)
Автор на своем примере показал все приемы, о которых идет речь:) Это ли не лучшая реклама? Информация структурирована, изложена кратко и по делу.
Визуально текст смотрится отлично, давно не видела книг с настолько удобным шрифтом для глаз.
Советы в книге простые, но эффективные.
На меня большое впечатление произвела мысль о том, что слушатели всегда желают выступающему успеха и хотят, чтобы его выступление прошло удачно и они получили от него пользу. Иначе им придется наблюдать за скучным, бэкающим-мэкающим оратором и потратить время впустую. Никогда не думала об этом в таком ключе:)
April 23, 2020
Useful book which collects great advices and examples for different type of communication. Sometimes a bit repetitive, but overall it is a good reminder for the rich collection of methodos that can be used for enhanced quality communication. The book also highlights that just like any other skills, communication can improve by practice, practice and practice. Every chapter emphasizes that once we are able to put ourselves in the audience's shoes, we can tailor the message according to their interest and perspective.
October 26, 2023
Excellent!
June 27, 2020
Although it references mainly business settings, a lot of the advice applies to the normal everyday human relationships. One key idea is that it makes for an easier interaction if you take into account your audience, and structure your presentation or conversation around their needs. Yeah, I know: that’s just “common sense.”
January 28, 2022
Sometimes repetative but overally a good collection of practical advice to improve the quality of communication. The first half is better written than the second.
April 23, 2024
Excellent skills refresher!
June 20, 2024
Great and reference on how to communicate more effectively to any group you have.
June 3, 2022
I know the formatting is kinda off, will work on fixing it next time.
Simply Said
The Book in 3 Sentences
Always focus on the other person when communicating.
Everyone has their own problems, they don't care how you do it but if you can solve it for them, you'll be successful.
Competence is necessary but without being a clear communicator, you won't get much ahead.
Impressions
How I Discovered It
Who Should Read It?
How the Book Changed Me
My Top Quotes
If you're talking, you're not learning.
The first line of your introduction should make people want to hear the next line.
I avoid:
“How many . . .”
“How much . . .”
and I ask very few “When’s.”
Instead, I ask:
“What was it like?”
“What did you think of. . . ?”
“How did you decide to. . .?”
and “Then, what happened?”
The key to small talk is actually quite simple. Ask and listen, and then ask more.
When you sense someone is angry or experiencing another deeply confrontational emotion, frame the emotion as “concern.”
Concern is a wonderful catch-all emotion. “I know you’re concerned about this issue.” Concern is more mature than anger or frustration or disil- lusionment. It suggests concern for more than just oneself.Most of the time, people will readily agree that what they are feeling is concern.
Remember: the longer your document, the less likely it is to be read. Keep it short so that people read your ideas and act on them. That’s how you have impact.
Summary + Notes
Your communication is not about you, it's about the audience.
When you are beginning an address instead of starting with "I am here to" instead start with "You all are here today for X, let us spend some time discussing it"
If you think about how your message effects the world, your message about yourself also changes. It's not about you, it's all about the value you can provide to others.
Ask yourself, "what's the one key takeaway I want everyone to leave with?"
A clear message :
is Short
Uses Simple language
Is focused on the needs of the audience
Can your audience repeat what you told them, and explain it to someone else?
When talking to others about something particular like a status update or a briefing, only say that which is the most relevant.
Give them the main point of your conversation at the very beginning then set up the context surrounding it. Without knowing what exactly happened, people will be too anxious to focus on what you're saying.
Make sure though, that your overall point does not deviate from the reality of the matter.
How to make small talk?
Just start with whatever is at hand, remember that the main purpose of small talk is to make the other person comfortable enough to talk about more pressing matters.
Instead of Stating your position, explain what it is that you do:
You're not a "Real Estate Attorney" You "Help build housing"
You aren’t “a Private Wealth Manager for UBS.” You “help people make sure they have enough money for retirement.”
You aren’t “the principal of a girls’ high school.” You “foster girls’ growth into wise young women.”
StoryTelling
Different people can have completely different interpretations of your story, thus you should end yours with "That’s why it’s so important that we. . . ."
Ground rules if you want to tell a funny story
Do not make fun of other people or the competition.
Don't make fun of yourself more than once,
and that too in a short anecdote to put forward just how much you have grown since then.
Presenting
Never say the word "presentation" instead say "I'm here today to talk to you about X"
Closed body language is not inherently negative,
but it leaves the speaker to massive misinterpretation. As a speaker it is important that you minimize the audience's ability to misinterpret you.
Talk about the substance and not the medium
Instead of Using words like "Slide" and "Scatter Chart" use phrases like "A moment ago we were discussing" and "We just saw that as X decreases Y increases" etc.
In the case of charts and graphs, RIDE the slide:
∙∙ Read the heading.
∙∙ Identify the type of graph.
∙∙ “On this bar graph you see. . .”
∙∙ “Here’s a pie chart showing. . .”
∙∙ “Here’s a map of the world representing our regional
hubs.”
Follow the “6 x 6” rule
No more than six words per bullet. No more than six bullets per slide How to Avoid Death by Powerpoint
When you give a presentation, you have one of two objectives
You want the Audience to know something
[image error]
Tell them what you're going to tell them
Tell them what you got
Tell them what you just told them.
You want them to do something
[image error]
[image error]
Ask a rhetorical question
It helps you to frame the discussion
"So, we're all here today because you want to X, so why is it necessary to do Y?"
Proving your points
Proving is not about expanding on what you said, it is about giving facts and statements outside of your control which agree with the point you just made.
It's never enough to just say what needs to be done, you have to say who needs to do what
Even if you're unsure whether your proposal will get selected or not, Or maybe you are in a position where you make the last call, always prepare what part of the work you want each person to do. Don't wait for the presentation to be over to decide that "now that it's been selected, who should I trust with this part of the project?"
Always tell your audience why you are giving them this information.
The beginning is always written at the end.
The introduction, the abstract, the hook, it's all written when you've thoroughly gone through what you want to say. Then at the end you decide how to best grab people's attention by telling them precisely the way they will benefit from your talk.
The Arc of Attention(Eye contact)
Never flit your eyes over the entire audience. IF you do, you will look jittery and your focus will be all over the place, notwithstanding the loss of nerve you'll have.(Because even the most confident speakers feel nervous, it's how they manage them that matters)
Look at your notes/slides, pick just one point, then in the gap between moving your eyes from the material, form what you want to say, the actual content of your talk.
Then, look at just one person in the audience, look in their eyes, say what you have to say, then repeat the last step.
NEVER speak while your eyes are moving between notes and people.
Speaking that way signifies that what you're saying isn't that important, which is not true because almost all the important bits are at the end of a point.
Body Language
For your broader points, use large gestures and start with one hand outside the width of your left shoulder.
Use your gestures to express the structure and outline of what you're saying. The size of your gestures is directly proportional to the scale of the point you're trying to make.
There are limits to how much the audience can take in.Sometimes speaking a bit slower or leaving more gaps between our points helps the audience to process what we already said. Without this time, all goes in one ear and out the other.
Meetings
Good posture
IF you can feel any part of the back of the chair against your lower back, chances are you are leaning back in the chair or slouching. If you slouch during a meeting, you will get tired faster. All of your upper body weight is pushing down on your lungs and you can’t breathe as easily.
Sit so that your forearms rest on the table just broader than your shoulders. Keep your hands apart.
If you have ever been told you look severe or even angry
when you aren’t, here’s a simple trick. Simply part your lips slightly when you are listening to someone. Don’t drop your jaw: you’ll look stunned. Just a slight part of the lips is all you need. It softens the look of your face and makes you seem more open to other ideas.
To project confidence to an audience,
take a solid but neutral stance. Place your feet directly under your hips. If they are too close together, you’ll look tentative or unsteady.If you stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, you’ll risk being perceived as too casual or too aggressive
Whenever someone comes to you to talk, stop what you are doing, look at them, and then continue.
If you don't look like you're paying attention then the person will also not feel like doing their best.
Always ask open ended questions unless absolutely necessary otherwise.
But suppose, the other person is fumbling and clearly looks like they're at a loss of words, then you can guide the conversation with more concrete questions.
Ask," Would it be helpful to you if …."
Always confirm if the meaning you gain from what they are saying is the same meaning that they intended.
Say,"So if I understand you correctly, you mean the following by X"
Writing
When editing, focus on three activities:
Look for telltale suffixes that suggest you are using a weak verb: -tion, -ment, -ance, -able, -ing.
Look for the “to be” verb and other weak verbs. See whether there is a stronger action in the sentence and make that the verb.
Circle the verb in each sentence and ask yourself: Is that the true action I want to convey here?” By using stronger verbs, you will also write shorter sentences.
▪ Look for any instances of “is,” “are,” “was,” or “were.” The “to be” verb comments on a state of being. There is no action; there is only existence. See whether a better word conveys your intended meaning.
▪ Other weak verbs also pose an opportunity to improve the sentence. Look for seems, have, make, does, provide, conduct, and results in.
▪ Be careful about starting sentences with This or These. Both words create ambiguity.
Example 1
Management’s decision resulted in a major cost overrun. This is a big problem for the hospital.
This at the start of the sentence can refer to one of three things:
(1) It can refer to the subject of the previous sentence
(2) It can refer to the last noun in the previous sentence
(3) It can refer to the previous sentence as a whole. Avoid this ambiguity by adding the noun to which you are referring. In the example above, what is a big problem for the hospital? Is it management’s decision? The cost overrun? The fact that management’s decision caused a cost overrun? It’s unclear. Management’s decision resulted in a major cost overrun. This additional cost is a big problem for the hospital.
We use the passive voice when we want to soften ascribing accountability to anyone
▪ Nike
Active voice: Just do it!
Passive voice: It needs to be done.
One inspires action. The other pleads for a nap
There's lot's more but I highlighted too much and at this point I don't care about summarizing the rest.
Related Books
Simply Said
#source_Book_Nonfiction
#Conversation #work #Self-help #Public_speaking #language
The Book in 3 Sentences
Always focus on the other person when communicating.
Everyone has their own problems, they don't care how you do it but if you can solve it for them, you'll be successful.
Competence is necessary but without being a clear communicator, you won't get much ahead.
Impressions
How original it is: It's Not the most original ofc, but it's a good compilation of all the good points. 7/10
Intellectual Value: 9/10. It's a good reference.
How I Discovered It
Not quite sure, probably Telegram.
Who Should Read It?
Everyone, atleast once.
How the Book Changed Me
How my life / behaviour / thoughts / ideas have changed as a result of reading the book.
My Top Quotes
If you're talking, you're not learning.
The first line of your introduction should make people want to hear the next line.
I avoid:
“How many . . .”
“How much . . .”
and I ask very few “When’s.”
Instead, I ask:
“What was it like?”
“What did you think of. . . ?”
“How did you decide to. . .?”
and “Then, what happened?”
The key to small talk is actually quite simple. Ask and listen, and then ask more.
When you sense someone is angry or experiencing another deeply confrontational emotion, frame the emotion as “concern.”
Concern is a wonderful catch-all emotion. “I know you’re concerned about this issue.” Concern is more mature than anger or frustration or disil- lusionment. It suggests concern for more than just oneself.Most of the time, people will readily agree that what they are feeling is concern.
Remember: the longer your document, the less likely it is to be read. Keep it short so that people read your ideas and act on them. That’s how you have impact.
Summary + Notes
Your communication is not about you, it's about the audience.
When you are beginning an address instead of starting with "I am here to" instead start with "You all are here today for X, let us spend some time discussing it"
If you think about how your message effects the world, your message about yourself also changes. It's not about you, it's all about the value you can provide to others.
Ask yourself, "what's the one key takeaway I want everyone to leave with?"
A clear message :
is Short
Uses Simple language
Is focused on the needs of the audience
Can your audience repeat what you told them, and explain it to someone else?
When talking to others about something particular like a status update or a briefing, only say that which is the most relevant.
Give them the main point of your conversation at the very beginning then set up the context surrounding it. Without knowing what exactly happened, people will be too anxious to focus on what you're saying.
Make sure though, that your overall point does not deviate from the reality of the matter.
How to make small talk?
Just start with whatever is at hand, remember that the main purpose of small talk is to make the other person comfortable enough to talk about more pressing matters.
Instead of Stating your position, explain what it is that you do:
You're not a "Real Estate Attorney" You "Help build housing"
You aren’t “a Private Wealth Manager for UBS.” You “help people make sure they have enough money for retirement.”
You aren’t “the principal of a girls’ high school.” You “foster girls’ growth into wise young women.”
StoryTelling
Different people can have completely different interpretations of your story, thus you should end yours with "That’s why it’s so important that we. . . ."
Ground rules if you want to tell a funny story
Do not make fun of other people or the competition.
Don't make fun of yourself more than once,
and that too in a short anecdote to put forward just how much you have grown since then.
Presenting
Never say the word "presentation" instead say "I'm here today to talk to you about X"
Closed body language is not inherently negative,
but it leaves the speaker to massive misinterpretation. As a speaker it is important that you minimize the audience's ability to misinterpret you.
Talk about the substance and not the medium
Instead of Using words like "Slide" and "Scatter Chart" use phrases like "A moment ago we were discussing" and "We just saw that as X decreases Y increases" etc.
In the case of charts and graphs, RIDE the slide:
∙∙ Read the heading.
∙∙ Identify the type of graph.
∙∙ “On this bar graph you see. . .”
∙∙ “Here’s a pie chart showing. . .”
∙∙ “Here’s a map of the world representing our regional
hubs.”
Follow the “6 x 6” rule
No more than six words per bullet. No more than six bullets per slide How to Avoid Death by Powerpoint
When you give a presentation, you have one of two objectives
You want the Audience to know something
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Tell them what you're going to tell them
Tell them what you got
Tell them what you just told them.
You want them to do something
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Ask a rhetorical question
It helps you to frame the discussion
"So, we're all here today because you want to X, so why is it necessary to do Y?"
Proving your points
Proving is not about expanding on what you said, it is about giving facts and statements outside of your control which agree with the point you just made.
It's never enough to just say what needs to be done, you have to say who needs to do what
Even if you're unsure whether your proposal will get selected or not, Or maybe you are in a position where you make the last call, always prepare what part of the work you want each person to do. Don't wait for the presentation to be over to decide that "now that it's been selected, who should I trust with this part of the project?"
Always tell your audience why you are giving them this information.
The beginning is always written at the end.
The introduction, the abstract, the hook, it's all written when you've thoroughly gone through what you want to say. Then at the end you decide how to best grab people's attention by telling them precisely the way they will benefit from your talk.
The Arc of Attention(Eye contact)
Never flit your eyes over the entire audience. IF you do, you will look jittery and your focus will be all over the place, notwithstanding the loss of nerve you'll have.(Because even the most confident speakers feel nervous, it's how they manage them that matters)
Look at your notes/slides, pick just one point, then in the gap between moving your eyes from the material, form what you want to say, the actual content of your talk.
Then, look at just one person in the audience, look in their eyes, say what you have to say, then repeat the last step.
NEVER speak while your eyes are moving between notes and people.
Speaking that way signifies that what you're saying isn't that important, which is not true because almost all the important bits are at the end of a point.
Body Language
For your broader points, use large gestures and start with one hand outside the width of your left shoulder.
Use your gestures to express the structure and outline of what you're saying. The size of your gestures is directly proportional to the scale of the point you're trying to make.
There are limits to how much the audience can take in.Sometimes speaking a bit slower or leaving more gaps between our points helps the audience to process what we already said. Without this time, all goes in one ear and out the other.
Meetings
Good posture
IF you can feel any part of the back of the chair against your lower back, chances are you are leaning back in the chair or slouching. If you slouch during a meeting, you will get tired faster. All of your upper body weight is pushing down on your lungs and you can’t breathe as easily.
Sit so that your forearms rest on the table just broader than your shoulders. Keep your hands apart.
If you have ever been told you look severe or even angry
when you aren’t, here’s a simple trick. Simply part your lips slightly when you are listening to someone. Don’t drop your jaw: you’ll look stunned. Just a slight part of the lips is all you need. It softens the look of your face and makes you seem more open to other ideas.
To project confidence to an audience,
take a solid but neutral stance. Place your feet directly under your hips. If they are too close together, you’ll look tentative or unsteady.If you stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, you’ll risk being perceived as too casual or too aggressive
Whenever someone comes to you to talk, stop what you are doing, look at them, and then continue.
If you don't look like you're paying attention then the person will also not feel like doing their best.
Always ask open ended questions unless absolutely necessary otherwise.
But suppose, the other person is fumbling and clearly looks like they're at a loss of words, then you can guide the conversation with more concrete questions.
Ask," Would it be helpful to you if …."
Always confirm if the meaning you gain from what they are saying is the same meaning that they intended.
Say,"So if I understand you correctly, you mean the following by X"
Writing
When editing, focus on three activities:
Look for telltale suffixes that suggest you are using a weak verb: -tion, -ment, -ance, -able, -ing.
Look for the “to be” verb and other weak verbs. See whether there is a stronger action in the sentence and make that the verb.
Circle the verb in each sentence and ask yourself: Is that the true action I want to convey here?” By using stronger verbs, you will also write shorter sentences.
▪ Look for any instances of “is,” “are,” “was,” or “were.” The “to be” verb comments on a state of being. There is no action; there is only existence. See whether a better word conveys your intended meaning.
▪ Other weak verbs also pose an opportunity to improve the sentence. Look for seems, have, make, does, provide, conduct, and results in.
▪ Be careful about starting sentences with This or These. Both words create ambiguity.
Example 1
Management’s decision resulted in a major cost overrun. This is a big problem for the hospital.
This at the start of the sentence can refer to one of three things:
(1) It can refer to the subject of the previous sentence
(2) It can refer to the last noun in the previous sentence
(3) It can refer to the previous sentence as a whole. Avoid this ambiguity by adding the noun to which you are referring. In the example above, what is a big problem for the hospital? Is it management’s decision? The cost overrun? The fact that management’s decision caused a cost overrun? It’s unclear. Management’s decision resulted in a major cost overrun. This additional cost is a big problem for the hospital.
We use the passive voice when we want to soften ascribing accountability to anyone
▪ Nike
Active voice: Just do it!
Passive voice: It needs to be done.
One inspires action. The other pleads for a nap
There's lot's more but I highlighted too much and at this point I don't care about summarizing the rest.
Related Books
July 13, 2024
Fine. Just fine.
But not my cup of tea.
I can't quite tell why, either. It had all the elements of a better-than-fine book, and it's in a field I work in every day, but it was too flat to me. Everyone resonates differently, I guess, but this one was just... fine.
But not my cup of tea.
I can't quite tell why, either. It had all the elements of a better-than-fine book, and it's in a field I work in every day, but it was too flat to me. Everyone resonates differently, I guess, but this one was just... fine.
February 7, 2022
This has some really solid tips for presenting and communicating on a professional level. I think this book is useful for everyone!
September 8, 2022
"It's not so much about what you say, it's about how you say it." We are more effective as a communicator when we focus less on ourselves and more on the audience.
I was looking for a book about strategic communication basics and came across this one through Audible search. It's not a very new book (published in 2016) but I had not found it earlier. I would say that it's not too sophisticated but effective at explaining the most important point: that communication is not about you, it's about the audience. Every communication must have a purpose and it is either to give information or get a certain action in response (persuade). If you do not communicate from the perspective of the listener then achieving the intended goal is simply a matter of chance or luck. Going forward I will be suggesting the book to everybody who is stuggling with effective communication. I do not consider all the sections covered equally relevant, but it covers the most important principles while the rest can be skimmed through with less effort.
The book is organized in 5 sections:
1) Content
2) Oral communication skills
3) Written communication skills
4) Your interactions
5) Your leadership
"In a professional setting you are not being graded by being smart, but by having an impact"
"The key to small talk is quite simple. Ask and listen, and then ask more"
“If we put the focus on what the other person is trying to gain from the exchange, we will do a better hob communicating because we will select more pertinent information, drill down to the desired level of detail, and make the information we are sharing more accessible to our audience.”
Ask yourself, "what's the one key takeaway I want everyone to leave with?" (VS leaving the audience to figure it out themselves from all the scattered contents).
A clear message:
*short
*uses simple language
*is focused on the needs of the audience
Instead of stating your position, explain what it is that you do:
You're not a "Real Estate Attorney" you "Help build housing"
You aren’t “a Private Wealth Manager for UBS.” you “help people make sure they have enough money for retirement.”
Never say the word "presentation" instead say "I'm here today to talk to you about X".
Also read the slides (not word by word, providing amplifying information in addition), which feels controversial but actually maximizes presentation effectiveness. Remove information that you are not planning to cover yourself.
When you want audience to know something, then:
Tell them what you're going to tell them.
Tell them what you got.
Tell them what you just told them.
(from Peter Drucker)
You want them to do something:
- Ask a rhetorical question, It helps you to frame the discussion
"So, we're all here today because you want to X, so why is it necessary to do Y?"
- Proving your points - it's not about expanding on what you said, it is about giving facts and statements outside of your control which agree with the point you just made.
- It's never enough to just say what needs to be done, you have to say who needs to do what
- Even if you're unsure whether your proposal will get selected or not, or maybe you are in a position where you make the last call, always prepare what part of the work you want each person to do.
Never flit your eyes over the entire audience. If you do, you will look jittery and your focus will be all over the place, notwithstanding the loss of nerve you'll have.
Look at your notes/slides, pick just one point, then in the gap between moving your eyes from the material, form what you want to say, the actual content of your talk.
Then, look at just one person in the audience, look in their eyes, say what you have to say, then repeat the last step.
Never speak while your eyes are moving between notes and people. Speaking that way signifies that what you're saying isn't that important, which is not true because almost all the important bits are at the end of a point.
I was looking for a book about strategic communication basics and came across this one through Audible search. It's not a very new book (published in 2016) but I had not found it earlier. I would say that it's not too sophisticated but effective at explaining the most important point: that communication is not about you, it's about the audience. Every communication must have a purpose and it is either to give information or get a certain action in response (persuade). If you do not communicate from the perspective of the listener then achieving the intended goal is simply a matter of chance or luck. Going forward I will be suggesting the book to everybody who is stuggling with effective communication. I do not consider all the sections covered equally relevant, but it covers the most important principles while the rest can be skimmed through with less effort.
The book is organized in 5 sections:
1) Content
2) Oral communication skills
3) Written communication skills
4) Your interactions
5) Your leadership
"In a professional setting you are not being graded by being smart, but by having an impact"
"The key to small talk is quite simple. Ask and listen, and then ask more"
“If we put the focus on what the other person is trying to gain from the exchange, we will do a better hob communicating because we will select more pertinent information, drill down to the desired level of detail, and make the information we are sharing more accessible to our audience.”
Ask yourself, "what's the one key takeaway I want everyone to leave with?" (VS leaving the audience to figure it out themselves from all the scattered contents).
A clear message:
*short
*uses simple language
*is focused on the needs of the audience
Instead of stating your position, explain what it is that you do:
You're not a "Real Estate Attorney" you "Help build housing"
You aren’t “a Private Wealth Manager for UBS.” you “help people make sure they have enough money for retirement.”
Never say the word "presentation" instead say "I'm here today to talk to you about X".
Also read the slides (not word by word, providing amplifying information in addition), which feels controversial but actually maximizes presentation effectiveness. Remove information that you are not planning to cover yourself.
When you want audience to know something, then:
Tell them what you're going to tell them.
Tell them what you got.
Tell them what you just told them.
(from Peter Drucker)
You want them to do something:
- Ask a rhetorical question, It helps you to frame the discussion
"So, we're all here today because you want to X, so why is it necessary to do Y?"
- Proving your points - it's not about expanding on what you said, it is about giving facts and statements outside of your control which agree with the point you just made.
- It's never enough to just say what needs to be done, you have to say who needs to do what
- Even if you're unsure whether your proposal will get selected or not, or maybe you are in a position where you make the last call, always prepare what part of the work you want each person to do.
Never flit your eyes over the entire audience. If you do, you will look jittery and your focus will be all over the place, notwithstanding the loss of nerve you'll have.
Look at your notes/slides, pick just one point, then in the gap between moving your eyes from the material, form what you want to say, the actual content of your talk.
Then, look at just one person in the audience, look in their eyes, say what you have to say, then repeat the last step.
Never speak while your eyes are moving between notes and people. Speaking that way signifies that what you're saying isn't that important, which is not true because almost all the important bits are at the end of a point.
October 27, 2022
I find this book is useful especially for working adults regardless of industry you are in. This book is easy to read and understand, teaching you how to be a good communicator and also leadership.
March 9, 2020
A great book that is simply said. I will be re-visiting this book many times.
One observation is that the book explains how to communicate effectively as a service provider with your client but less focus was put on client communication to their service provider.
One observation is that the book explains how to communicate effectively as a service provider with your client but less focus was put on client communication to their service provider.
October 19, 2022
Has helped me improve my conversations, presentations in large and small groups, and how to be an active listener while others are presenting.
January 26, 2022
The author wrote this book for people who struggle with communication.
If you struggle with communication, you will find value in this book, but there are many parts you should skim through. If you feel comfortable with your communication skills and seek to improve, I suggest you skip this book.
While there are some valuable bits and pieces, I found the book annoying to read. On every other page, the author throws a very salesy "At Exec|Comm we did this thousand of times blah blah blah."
The author also constantly changes their use of pronouns. One page is about "he," the next is "she," then back to "he." This continuous change is very inconsistent and irritating to read.
Although the book title says "communication," most of the content is about creating PowerPoint and delivering them. Disappointingly there is very little about listening to others and understanding them through empathetic listening and else profoundly.
Finally, the book is written through the lens of a salesperson most of the time. It is very oriented towards making a sale which is quite limiting in scope.
If you struggle with communication, you will find value in this book, but there are many parts you should skim through. If you feel comfortable with your communication skills and seek to improve, I suggest you skip this book.
While there are some valuable bits and pieces, I found the book annoying to read. On every other page, the author throws a very salesy "At Exec|Comm we did this thousand of times blah blah blah."
The author also constantly changes their use of pronouns. One page is about "he," the next is "she," then back to "he." This continuous change is very inconsistent and irritating to read.
Although the book title says "communication," most of the content is about creating PowerPoint and delivering them. Disappointingly there is very little about listening to others and understanding them through empathetic listening and else profoundly.
Finally, the book is written through the lens of a salesperson most of the time. It is very oriented towards making a sale which is quite limiting in scope.
March 23, 2019
Bought this book for the Leads on my team. They are working to improve how to use different paths on being heard in communication. This book builds on that by showing methods to use in a variety of platforms that help increase the odds that someone opens your email and takes action or can really hear information that you are trying to share. Additionally, the chapters on being a good leader were nice to include.
At the highest level, this books reminds the reader to put themselves in the shoes of the target person one wants to communication with. Make it as easy for the person to know what they can do that helps them. Yes, “what is it in for me” is still a thing. Get that right and the other person is far more likely to take the time to read and act upon your information. Which is what you wanted to begin with.
Liked the message so much, I have now bought and shared over 20 copies of this book with family, friends, and other coworkers on other teams that I know are working to improve in this area.
At the highest level, this books reminds the reader to put themselves in the shoes of the target person one wants to communication with. Make it as easy for the person to know what they can do that helps them. Yes, “what is it in for me” is still a thing. Get that right and the other person is far more likely to take the time to read and act upon your information. Which is what you wanted to begin with.
Liked the message so much, I have now bought and shared over 20 copies of this book with family, friends, and other coworkers on other teams that I know are working to improve in this area.
June 30, 2022
Though most of the information in the book was directed toward the corporate setting (email communication, power point presentations, leadership roles, public speaking, etc.), the principles of concise, clear communication was still applicable for writing or speaking in any scenario. Overall, this book prompted me to consider various methods of communication with a renewed focus for the the skill and art of communicating effectively.
3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
June 21, 2022
An invaluable resource for most of us who value direct communication or need to get things done with others at work and in our personal lives. Fortunately the authors of the book followed their own advice, making this resource a brief learning and reference resource packed with applicable wisdom.
October 12, 2022
Not for me. The number of times the author mentions his company is a distraction and a turn off. I was tempted to turn his mentions into a drinking game. I am not interested in learning how to communicate from someone doing such a poor job communicating.
August 27, 2022
Practical tips and good insight into how to effectively present, communicate, and carry yourself as a professional.
December 13, 2022
Good book, has some good tips. Doesn't work as well in audio format. Sometimes hard to get through.
August 19, 2023
Communications form an essential skill of leadership. To be a leader, people have to follow you. For people to follow you, they first must appreciate your vision, articulated in words, and then see them followed up with actions. This is true both in the workplace and in social life. In this book, Jay Sullivan aims to provide practical and simple insights to help us achieve these goals.
In the first half of the book, Sullivan’s instruction on good writing and good speaking are fairly par for the course. He wisely reinforces that he merely provides ways to improve effectiveness, not rules to follow precisely. Most of his adages correspond with succinct communication styles that relate to the people around you. This style resembles advice in many popular books. He aims to get your focus off of you and on to your audience – that is, the people that you are leading.
This book’s first half is fairly standard, but the second half clearly outdoes the first. Sullivan’s focus narrows on management and leadership. The theme of getting the focus onto the people becomes stronger and more powerful. He reminds us that we lead people for the people’s benefit first, not our own. Thus, his expressed style resembles that of servant leadership. Obviously, most of us fall short of this ideal, but I appreciate being pushed in the right direction. I’d therefore suggest that this book’s strengths are less about how to communicate more succinctly at work and more about communicating more effectively as a leader.
Public life requires communication. Those who aspire to leadership roles often need some refinement before they grow their tribe of followers. It’s better to identify how to improve comfortably through reading than to learn through painful mistakes. This book aims to ease readers’ adaptations to this end. Modern life certainly needs less self-absorbed leaders and more who are interested in the common good. This book can help us all reach those noble aims more directly.
In the first half of the book, Sullivan’s instruction on good writing and good speaking are fairly par for the course. He wisely reinforces that he merely provides ways to improve effectiveness, not rules to follow precisely. Most of his adages correspond with succinct communication styles that relate to the people around you. This style resembles advice in many popular books. He aims to get your focus off of you and on to your audience – that is, the people that you are leading.
This book’s first half is fairly standard, but the second half clearly outdoes the first. Sullivan’s focus narrows on management and leadership. The theme of getting the focus onto the people becomes stronger and more powerful. He reminds us that we lead people for the people’s benefit first, not our own. Thus, his expressed style resembles that of servant leadership. Obviously, most of us fall short of this ideal, but I appreciate being pushed in the right direction. I’d therefore suggest that this book’s strengths are less about how to communicate more succinctly at work and more about communicating more effectively as a leader.
Public life requires communication. Those who aspire to leadership roles often need some refinement before they grow their tribe of followers. It’s better to identify how to improve comfortably through reading than to learn through painful mistakes. This book aims to ease readers’ adaptations to this end. Modern life certainly needs less self-absorbed leaders and more who are interested in the common good. This book can help us all reach those noble aims more directly.
March 10, 2023
Such a great book! Easy to understand and very practical. The author also makes funny jokes here and there, which makes a pleasant reading experience.
To sum up, effective communication = focus less on ourselves and more on the other person. Some notes:
- Use “You” more often than “I” in communication. This is to remind ourselves that we should focus more on the audience.
- To be persuasive, focus on three things: time, money, and feelings.
- Get to the point earlier than later.
- Our language should be short, simple, and focus on the audience.
- To make the message delivery less boring, variety works the best. In oral communication, change your tone, volume, speed to keep it interesting. In writing, avoid long and dense paragraphs. Use headers, small paragraphs, bullet points, combinations of short and long sentences. In terms of the delivery content, make it interesting by using stories, stats, anecdotes, etc. to make your points.
- Three probing questions: how can I help? What would be most helpful to you? Would it be helpful to you if I…?
- In business meetings, we should try to gather as much information as possible from the audience. We are here to simply learn. That way we know how to help them.
- Assume nothing. Confirm everything.
This is an excellent book about business communication. I will re-read the book and notes every now and then and keep practicing!
To sum up, effective communication = focus less on ourselves and more on the other person. Some notes:
- Use “You” more often than “I” in communication. This is to remind ourselves that we should focus more on the audience.
- To be persuasive, focus on three things: time, money, and feelings.
- Get to the point earlier than later.
- Our language should be short, simple, and focus on the audience.
- To make the message delivery less boring, variety works the best. In oral communication, change your tone, volume, speed to keep it interesting. In writing, avoid long and dense paragraphs. Use headers, small paragraphs, bullet points, combinations of short and long sentences. In terms of the delivery content, make it interesting by using stories, stats, anecdotes, etc. to make your points.
- Three probing questions: how can I help? What would be most helpful to you? Would it be helpful to you if I…?
- In business meetings, we should try to gather as much information as possible from the audience. We are here to simply learn. That way we know how to help them.
- Assume nothing. Confirm everything.
This is an excellent book about business communication. I will re-read the book and notes every now and then and keep practicing!
May 16, 2025
(I am not particularly interested in reading more self-help or personal development books, but this one has been on my reading list since day one, so I want to complete it.)
The book format--divided into sections with clear bullets highlighting important key ideas--is great for anyone who isn't into reading every word but still wants the "what-I-should-know" takeaways. It offers relevant and practical tips not only for the workplace but also for interpersonal situations.
Unlike many other self-improvement books, which often focus solely on how you should work on yourself to improve, this book adds a unique twist: it shifts the focus to the other person as a means of improving oneself.
Valuable lessons I took from this book:
• Focus less on myself and more on the other person. How I convey my message determines how I connect with the world.
• Keep my sentences short and simple.
• Always stay positive.
• Look at one person at a time while speaking a complete sentence.
• Let the other person know I’m present in the conversation through verbal cues or gestures.
• Confirming what I think I heard is important to avoid miscommunication.
• Ask and listen—and then ask more.
• When delegating, it's about understanding what the other person needs in order to give me what I want.
The book format--divided into sections with clear bullets highlighting important key ideas--is great for anyone who isn't into reading every word but still wants the "what-I-should-know" takeaways. It offers relevant and practical tips not only for the workplace but also for interpersonal situations.
Unlike many other self-improvement books, which often focus solely on how you should work on yourself to improve, this book adds a unique twist: it shifts the focus to the other person as a means of improving oneself.
Valuable lessons I took from this book:
• Focus less on myself and more on the other person. How I convey my message determines how I connect with the world.
• Keep my sentences short and simple.
• Always stay positive.
• Look at one person at a time while speaking a complete sentence.
• Let the other person know I’m present in the conversation through verbal cues or gestures.
• Confirming what I think I heard is important to avoid miscommunication.
• Ask and listen—and then ask more.
• When delegating, it's about understanding what the other person needs in order to give me what I want.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2023
This book has very clear writing and is easy to understand. Throughout the book, the writer put an emphasis on focusing more on the other person if we want them to receive our message better. He said in this book,
"If we want to improve our ability to connect with others, to understand them, and to be understood more clearly, the easiest and most effective way to do so is to focus less on ourselves and more on the other person."
So, instead of thinking, "What am I trying to convey?", we should ask ourselves, " Why is he reading my email or attending this meeting?" What does she hope to get out of this presentation?"
Even though this book references mainly business settings, a lot of the advice applies to the normal everyday human relationships. This book discuss not only about verbal communication, but also about body language, written communication, and how to make an effective powerpoint.
"Communication skills are not about right and wrong, but rather than about spectrum of effectiveness"
"If we want to improve our ability to connect with others, to understand them, and to be understood more clearly, the easiest and most effective way to do so is to focus less on ourselves and more on the other person."
So, instead of thinking, "What am I trying to convey?", we should ask ourselves, " Why is he reading my email or attending this meeting?" What does she hope to get out of this presentation?"
Even though this book references mainly business settings, a lot of the advice applies to the normal everyday human relationships. This book discuss not only about verbal communication, but also about body language, written communication, and how to make an effective powerpoint.
"Communication skills are not about right and wrong, but rather than about spectrum of effectiveness"
January 21, 2025
I enjoyed this book. It is practical, focused, and easily accessible.
This book was the primary resource for teaching a class on workplace communication to high school and middle school students. I created the class topics around the table of contents in this book. I would say that the book's first part is most useful but the entire work has something to offer.
The skills and stories to represent them are written effectively and can easily equip somebody to improve their communication.
A bit more diversity in their stories would have been helpful. But, more communication around different ways these communication skills could be used would have also been helpful. A study guide in the book would have made this even more accessible to professionals and students alike.
A work I enjoyed and took key skills away from and apply in my own setting.
This book was the primary resource for teaching a class on workplace communication to high school and middle school students. I created the class topics around the table of contents in this book. I would say that the book's first part is most useful but the entire work has something to offer.
The skills and stories to represent them are written effectively and can easily equip somebody to improve their communication.
A bit more diversity in their stories would have been helpful. But, more communication around different ways these communication skills could be used would have also been helpful. A study guide in the book would have made this even more accessible to professionals and students alike.
A work I enjoyed and took key skills away from and apply in my own setting.
December 30, 2020
A really great book that not only highlights the substance of what you convey, but how you convey it with some tactical examples for public speakers, virtual presentations, etc. Some key nuggets: 1) position your point in relationship to the other person you are speaking to (it's not about you or the product, it’s about what people want out of it), 2) stories have a beginning middle and end -- the opening poses where we started and what needs to happen, the middle explains the struggle and builds the tension, and the end should be a clear point, 3) analogies always work better than humor, 4) presentations either inform or persuade -- to sell something hook, recommend, provide benefits (in terms of time, feelings or money), and prove the benefits, 5) to be a strong leader mean to be a stronger listener, 6) slides should have no more than 6 bullets with no more than 6 words per bullet, and 7) when reading slides, read the bullets and provide amplifying information as you go along.
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