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Don't Say Um: How to Communicate Effectively to Live a Better Life
A top trainer on effective speaking offers a fast way to improve your public speaking and communication skills by focusing on delivery—because how you say something matters more than what you say—with exercises that build boost confidence and influence.
Whether you like it or not, talking out loud is a critical aspect of our humanity, but an estimated 77% of people have some level of anxiety around public speaking—with most under the age of 45. In the age of technology, we're getting worse at communicating by the day, but the good news is, everyone can improve their speaking. Michael Chad Hoeppner is the foremost expert on effective speaking. He's coached presidential candidates, famous CEOs, UN dignitaries, law firms, and Ivy League deans on their communication skills. If you're a highly influential person who wants help speaking, you go to MCH; he's the guy. Now, he shares his wide‑ranging knowledge in Don't Say Um. For the first time, the coaching that the world’s most high-stakes speakers can afford is accessible to a global audience.
Hoeppner has created an entirely new approach to communication training, giving people the physical tools to quickly improve their speaking, instead of just the same old speaking coach BS. With simple-to-master exercises like finger‑walking to stop using filler words or silent storytelling to avoid monotone, think of Don’t Say Um like a How-To manual or a beloved cookbook – but a book only focused on Delivery. Why? Of course how you say it matters more than what you say. But transforming Delivery unlocks a virtuous cycle that actually improves the content, too. Like working with a famous golf pro or elite personal trainer, readers finally have a step-by-step process to build their communication muscles and escape counter-productive bromides like ‘just be authentic’ or ‘imagine the audience in their underwear.’
Through these exercises, you will be able to talk to a group with complete confidence or just to effectively tell a joke. Don't Say Um works for all situations, and it works forever. Don't Say Um challenges our preconceived notions of good speaking techniques and offers powerful tools to become master communicators. Hoeppner offers up his method to change how we communicate that works in all situations and can radically improve your quality of life.
Whether you like it or not, talking out loud is a critical aspect of our humanity, but an estimated 77% of people have some level of anxiety around public speaking—with most under the age of 45. In the age of technology, we're getting worse at communicating by the day, but the good news is, everyone can improve their speaking. Michael Chad Hoeppner is the foremost expert on effective speaking. He's coached presidential candidates, famous CEOs, UN dignitaries, law firms, and Ivy League deans on their communication skills. If you're a highly influential person who wants help speaking, you go to MCH; he's the guy. Now, he shares his wide‑ranging knowledge in Don't Say Um. For the first time, the coaching that the world’s most high-stakes speakers can afford is accessible to a global audience.
Hoeppner has created an entirely new approach to communication training, giving people the physical tools to quickly improve their speaking, instead of just the same old speaking coach BS. With simple-to-master exercises like finger‑walking to stop using filler words or silent storytelling to avoid monotone, think of Don’t Say Um like a How-To manual or a beloved cookbook – but a book only focused on Delivery. Why? Of course how you say it matters more than what you say. But transforming Delivery unlocks a virtuous cycle that actually improves the content, too. Like working with a famous golf pro or elite personal trainer, readers finally have a step-by-step process to build their communication muscles and escape counter-productive bromides like ‘just be authentic’ or ‘imagine the audience in their underwear.’
Through these exercises, you will be able to talk to a group with complete confidence or just to effectively tell a joke. Don't Say Um works for all situations, and it works forever. Don't Say Um challenges our preconceived notions of good speaking techniques and offers powerful tools to become master communicators. Hoeppner offers up his method to change how we communicate that works in all situations and can radically improve your quality of life.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 7, 2025
140 people are currently reading
4787 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 29, 2025
Good coaching on speaking well with lots of exercises
I didn't do the many exercises presented in this book, even though the author makes it clear that doing the exercises is required if you want to improve your speaking. Fair enough, but there are a LOT of exercises. For me, knowing the techniques is still helpful. As far as the title of the book, it is more of a hook than a specific focus of the book. Some of the keys to know using filler words is to practice speaking what we want to say (not just reading it), and slowing down. Public speaking makes most of us nervous, and we need to channel that energy into passion, movement, focus, and not into anxiety. Bottom line is that the more comfortable we are with what we want to say and how we intend to say it, the less likely we are to use filler words. Use your hands, move around if it makes sense in your situation/environment, modulate your voice, make it conversational - all basic coaching points on improving public speaking, and all contribute to making us more comfortable (less anxiety) when we speak and therefore less likely to use filler words as our minds search for the next word to say.
If you actually do the exercises this would probably be a very effective book in improving your public speaking. If not, it is still good information which, if remembered, will still improve your ability to effectively communicate.
I didn't do the many exercises presented in this book, even though the author makes it clear that doing the exercises is required if you want to improve your speaking. Fair enough, but there are a LOT of exercises. For me, knowing the techniques is still helpful. As far as the title of the book, it is more of a hook than a specific focus of the book. Some of the keys to know using filler words is to practice speaking what we want to say (not just reading it), and slowing down. Public speaking makes most of us nervous, and we need to channel that energy into passion, movement, focus, and not into anxiety. Bottom line is that the more comfortable we are with what we want to say and how we intend to say it, the less likely we are to use filler words. Use your hands, move around if it makes sense in your situation/environment, modulate your voice, make it conversational - all basic coaching points on improving public speaking, and all contribute to making us more comfortable (less anxiety) when we speak and therefore less likely to use filler words as our minds search for the next word to say.
If you actually do the exercises this would probably be a very effective book in improving your public speaking. If not, it is still good information which, if remembered, will still improve your ability to effectively communicate.
September 16, 2024
This is a well written book! The tone is conversational while still conveying important information. I thought the posture chapter was especially relevant for all people.
Full disclosure: I won a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
Full disclosure: I won a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
April 30, 2025
Some good practical advice here. Gets a little long at times, but overall good book.
August 28, 2025
Had to return before I finished interesting concepts in the book
November 4, 2025
I have a fair amount of public-speaking experience and still learned a lot reading this.
May 28, 2025
The audiobook is read by the author and I did not like it, so that's a red flag for me with respect to his expertise in communication. He does irritating things like talking about himself in the third person a lot and on top of that using all three of his names. He talks in parentheses a lot, with unnecessary provisos and apologies. I would not recommend this for beginners in public speaking. I think for example that looking around the auditorium above people's heads without making eye contact is an okay approach for people who are nervous, whereas he makes a big deal about direct eye contact (after a whole tangent about why he doesn't like to call it eye contact but will do so anyway).
He says that he works with big shots like politicians, so his techniques might be good for people like that.
Alternative:
How to Give a Pretty Good Presentation: A Speaking Survival Guide for the Rest of Us
He says that he works with big shots like politicians, so his techniques might be good for people like that.
Alternative:
How to Give a Pretty Good Presentation: A Speaking Survival Guide for the Rest of Us
April 25, 2025
I feel a little bit shady giving this book only three stars. It is clear that this is an excellent book.
I do think, however, this book targets people with genuine issues in public speaking rather than those with more experience.
I speak publicly all the time so I am always on a journey to improve how I deliver the message. Consequently, I was intrigued by the title of this book.
If you are a novice, public speaker, or if you have genuine anxiety while speaking, I think the strength of this book is the immense practicality. I love when a self-help book actually gives proactive steps to get better. Most self-help books give a lot of theories and a lot of platitudes but nothing concrete. This book clearly is written by a man that knows how to teach in a concrete way.
However, if you have spoken publicly for a while, and you don’t really struggle with fear, anxiety, or concern with body language, you might can skip this book. Or, you can read this book and hope to glean one or two really good reminders that are always helpful.
I do think, however, this book targets people with genuine issues in public speaking rather than those with more experience.
I speak publicly all the time so I am always on a journey to improve how I deliver the message. Consequently, I was intrigued by the title of this book.
If you are a novice, public speaker, or if you have genuine anxiety while speaking, I think the strength of this book is the immense practicality. I love when a self-help book actually gives proactive steps to get better. Most self-help books give a lot of theories and a lot of platitudes but nothing concrete. This book clearly is written by a man that knows how to teach in a concrete way.
However, if you have spoken publicly for a while, and you don’t really struggle with fear, anxiety, or concern with body language, you might can skip this book. Or, you can read this book and hope to glean one or two really good reminders that are always helpful.
February 11, 2025
This is an eminently practical, helpful book in the all too often overlooked area of Delivery. The author encourages his readers to develop a one-sentence summary of the book, and here’s mine: Speaking is a full-bodied sport. Hoeppner employs “embodied cognition” (i.e. learning with our bodies) in order to coach his readers in the essential aspects of compelling communication, such as enunciation, conciseness, and physical presence. Hoeppner’s breezy style might put off some, but I found it accessible and relatable. For anyone who does public speaking regularly, especially preachers, I can’t recommend this enough.
May 9, 2025
Ummm, no I'm just kidding! This is an essential book if you are a professional or public speaker. This delightful book has quite a few exercises to help hone your new skill. Anyone will benefit from this self improvement work.
January 31, 2025
Very helpful and practical tips on public speaking and communicating
February 12, 2025
Great tips and practices to enhance your communication skills and feel like a "natural".
April 21, 2025
Super underrated book for sure
May 19, 2025
Excellent book! I love the strategy approach to better communication. The drills given are reasonable, actionable and easy to do. If you need help communicating better than this is your book!
June 4, 2025
Performance Art
This book gives me a new way to look at communication. Not the transfer of content, but the art of physical, whole-body delivery.
This book gives me a new way to look at communication. Not the transfer of content, but the art of physical, whole-body delivery.
June 7, 2025
Good communication is physical and other-focused.
July 12, 2025
5 points to Gryffindor for being original, practical, and titrateable. I would make this mandatory reading for all my sales staff or management.
July 25, 2025
interesting read.
Read
December 29, 2025didn't finish because it was due at the library. I hope to pick it up again.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews