Steal the Show: From Speeches to Job Interviews to Deal-Closing Pitches, How to Guarantee a Standing Ovation for All the Performances in Your Life

by Michael Port

An inspiring program full of essential advice for spotlight lovers and wallflowers alike that will teach readers how to bring any crowd to its feet

Every day there are moments when you must persuade, inform, and motivate others effectively. Each of those moments requires you, in some way, to play a role, to heighten the impact of your words, and to manage your emotions and nerves. Every interaction is a performance, whether you’re speaking up in a meeting, pitching a client, or walking into a job interview.   In  Steal the Show, New York Times best-selling author Michael Port draws on his experience as an actor and as a highly successful corporate speaker and trainer to teach readers how to make the most of every presentation and interaction. He demonstrates how the methods of successful actors can help you connect with, inspire, and persuade any audience. His key strategies for commanding an audience’s attention include developing a clear focus for every performance, making sure you engage with your listeners, and finding the best role for yourself in order to convey your message with maximum impact.  Michael Port is one of the most in-demand corporate speakers working today. His presentations are always powerful, engaging, and inspirational. And yes, audiences always give him a standing ovation.  

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Self Help, Communication, Personal Development, Leadership, Productivity

237 pages, Hardcover

First published October 6, 2015

Reviews

[Christine Zibas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like most people who are uncomfortable speaking before a crowd, sometimes it's necessary and inevitable. Life just presents these challenges, and we either rise or fall in meeting them. There's lots of good advice about thinking about, planning for, writing, practicing, and actually performing (and post-performance as well) in this book. What really struck me, however, is how much was about taking chances in life and staying true to yourself, whether you have a speech to give or not.

The down side of the book is its promotional aspect, which is why I didn't give the book 5 stars, when it certainly could have earned it. When I read a book, I don't expect to be inundated with reasons why I should hire the writer or sign on to his business. This can be accomplished in a biography section, without making the book a giant advertisement for his personal business.

Yes, it's fine to use examples from your work, but the book loses some its luster for me when I feel like the author is using it as a sales tool. This isn't the only book I've encountered like this (a sales pitch between the lines of the real message), but that doesn't excuse Port either.

For those who can overlook that aspect of the book, it's still a worthy read and even more than I expected in some regards. As I noted, there seemed to be some bigger lessons about how to live life, not just give a great speech (although obviously those tips are in there). He wraps up the book with solid points about how to give a great speech, but as tempting as it may be to skip ahead to the final chapter, don't cheat yourself. There's wisdom on nearly every page, and certainly in every chapter.

[Chelsey Cosh · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read Steal the Show expecting a plethora of tips for diverse situations. After all, in its title, it sells itself as a book guaranteeing "a standing ovation for all the performances in your life". That's a big range if, like the book claims, that Shakespeare is right in that all the world's a stage. The advice given isn't nearly as meaningful as I hoped. It truly deals with only one specific scenario and that is you giving a speech to an auditorium or a boardroom full of people. It doesn't deal with the vast amount of interactions it promises, including job interviews and deal-closing pitches, which it splashes across its cover. If you need help with a TED Talks type of presentation, then you might value this book. Otherwise, it's a bit of a disappointment. I don't recommend it.

[Carles Caño · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deja de hablar en público, empieza a actuar en público.

Esta podría ser la premisa de "Steal the Show". Michael Port es ex-actor y aprovecha toda su experiencia para asesorar a empresas y personas a comunicar mejor en público. El libro no es solo para hacer presentaciones, las ideas son aplicables a entrevistas de trabajo, reuniones en la oficina o incluso para acudir preparado a citas románticas.

"Steal the show" es una expresión que se usa en el mundo de los actores para expresar cuando alguno o varios de ellos lo ha bordado de forma espléndida y el público lo disfruta y nota esa representación especial. No significa eclipsar al resto de actores.

Port afirma que en vez de charlas lo que hacemos son actuaciones y debemos prepararnos concienzudamente para dar lo mejor de nosotros. El libro tiene tres partes y confieso que me enganchó de verdad en la última (y más extensa).

- Part I: The Performer's Mindset
- Part II: Powerful Performance Principles
- Part III: A Master Class in Public Speaking.

Es un libro con un enfoque distinto a la mayoría de libros para hablar en público. Se nota que lo ha escrito un actor. Me ha interesado especialmente la parte referente a cómo ensayar y la técnica del blocking: decidir en el ensayo los puntos del escenario en los que se dirá cada parte del discurso. Otras cosas que me llamaron la atención:

- las distintas formas de crear contraste (estructural, emocional, con la forma de hablar),
- todo el proceso detallado de ensayo, que incluye lectura en voz alta del borrador escrito (entre otras muchas cosas),
- las ideas para hacer participar activamente al público...

En fin, un libro que hay que mirar y remirar. No creo que sea un libro para cualquier persona. El trabajo que implica aplicar los principios que expone es considerable. También creo que mucha gente no se atreverá a hacer muchas de las cosas que el autor plantea. Pero eso es una buena noticia para los que nos atrevamos a seguir sus consejos porque así podremos "steal the show" :-)

[Marc Stephan · Rating 2 out of 5]

He warned me at the very beginning this wasn't for people who were natural performers, and he was right. Half the book was explaining the philosophy of being a performer in every day life, and while I agree learning to be comfortable to roleplay is a very useful skill, it was very boring to me as I already have similar philosophies. This book may be great for people who are afraid of the stage, or to take the lead in a group meeting, or just generally have a hard time projecting any sort of confidence in any situation. But if you already know how to do these things instinctively, then you'll learn nothing here.

[Rachel Bhattacharyya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an extremely useful and practical book. I might have to buy a copy for myself to mark up and underline. This is a "how-to" for anyone who might be an educator, speaker, businessman - anything that brings one into the realm of public speaking. I thought the suggestions would be obvious and simply reinforcing, but it became intriguing as I discovered what I have done incorrectly and what I could/should do. An eye-opener!

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay. I've read a lot of public speaking books. Perhaps I'm not the target audience for this book since I've read so many books on presenting already.

I did pick up a few nuggets of wisdom from the book:

* Give the host what bio you want them to read when they introduce you. Otherwise, the host may introduce you with inaccurate information.
* When crafting and delivering your presentation, focus on the people who are open to your ideas but aren't on your side of the table yet. (There are usually three types of audience members: People who agree with you already, people who will probably never agree with you, and people who are open to your ideas but not sold on them yet.) I want to try this the next time I give a presentation. I hadn't thought to target this audience before.
* Feeling overwhelmed is not necessarily a function of having too much to do but rather not knowing what to do next. I had read this elsewhere. I'm glad I read it again in this book. It reminds me to remember what "overwhelmed" really means—not knowing what to get done next.

[Tracy Elman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sales is show business. I did not relize I needed this kind of training. But after listening to this book I wanted more. So I went onto his web videos. Incredible. What a process. Acting is very improtant for leadership and sales.

[Enrique · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s about the author and his insanely great skills, but you are not going to learn nothing of it.

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great overview of the craft of presentations, from a professional actor turned professional speaker. As a former actor who gives presentations, I not only endorse his insights, I use all the internal and external techniques in the book. And he shows how to use these skills in more ways than just the big stage event, including meetings and conversations. Strong read.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent thought exercises on thinking like a performer. Felt like a ton of filler though. I feel like better editing could have really improved this one

[Abdullah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some chapter were good and some other chapters were great and bery beneficial.

Ch3 , 5 and 15 was my personal favourite

[Randi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The details of how to improve your speeches were next level and really for the person who is getting hired to do major speeches. However, there were several really good ideas that anyone could use.

[Danijela Jerković · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notes on Steal the Show...

All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts . . .
—William Shakespeare, As You Like It

Perhaps you have a speech to deliver at an industry conference.
Maybe you’re attempting to land a big project.
You could be preparing for a job interview that will make or break your career.
Maybe you’re cramming for a meeting you’ll be leading with senior staff in attendance eyeballing your performance.
It’s possible you want to pitch a new business idea and you have to present it to a group of venture capitalists or bank executives.

While these are distinct experiences they share a common thread:
they all require you to perform.


Whether we want to admit it or not, our professional lives are full of public moments we can’t escape and can’t afford to screw up.
In our personal lives, we’re often called upon to deliver toasts, eulogies, graduation remarks, or inspirational talks before a civic group—even a first date is a kind of performance.

In Steal the Show, you’ll discover the role you want to play in the show that is your own life.
You’ll decide whether you are up for a leading or supporting role. Often we make the choice to play small because we haven’t given ourselves the chance to see the big opportunities in front of us.


Through this book, it is possible to learn how to leverage performance skills along with what you know—your backstory, beliefs, expertise, and values—to find the authenticity in the roles you choose to play. Finding this authenticity and then having the courage to use it is how you become an effective communicator and leader—no matter how nervous you may feel reading this today.

Make the Most of the Spotlight Moments in Your Life...
Acting methods, techniques, and principles for nonactors so you can overcome your fears; silence your critics, both internal and external; find your voice, and become a confident performer in the spotlight.

Each day we have the ability to create our reality.

Performance, at its core, is about how you communicate and, by extension, how you connect with others on a daily basis.

Diving message: EXPRESS YOURSELF WITH CLEAR INTENT AND PURPOSE.

Performing and communicating are always about building up, not tearing down. You can be a critic or a performer, I believe, but you can’t be both.
Great performances require taking risks. To take those risks
not only do you need to silence the external critics, but you also need to let go of the
the inner critic that tries to worry you about the fear of rejection.

Driving message: FIND YOUR VOICE.

All the choices you make in your life signal to people, This is what I want you to know about me.

There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.
~Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings


Part I: The Performer’s Mindset

The performance's mindset is based on performing in ways that stir the heart and inspire action.
In order to do this, your desire to perform needs to be stronger than your fear of criticism or failure, your voice must be powerful and in tune with your values and beliefs, and you’ll need to know how to play the right role in every situation.


Finding your voice is important for your results. If you want to play different
roles authentically and amplify or downplay different parts of your personality to
do so, it’s important to be comfortable with who you really are and what you
stand for so you never lose sight of your values.

What you say doesn’t have to be different to make a difference.
It’s the way you say it that matters.
Your particular voice connects with some people and not with others.

Finding and sharing your voice is about creating something new, not simply complaining or rebelling against something in the past.

“As we strive to improve our game, a clear and firm sense of self is a compass that helps us
navigate choices and progress toward our goals. But when we’re looking to
change our game a too rigid self-concept becomes an anchor that keeps us from
sailing forth.”
~Herminia Ibarra,
(the January 2015 Harvard Business Review article)

People who are able to adopt different styles of behavior to suit the dynamics of a given situation are comfortable adjusting their style to different situations without feeling fake or pretending to be something they’re not. It’s like being a chameleon, which is different than playing roles where you pretend to be something you’re not or know something you don’t.

Successful and effective people will often play different roles to suit the situation.


Keep two important points in mind:

1. When you take on a new role, there may be loved ones, friends, or colleagues who aren’t
comfortable with your new role and prefer you in your old role.

You are the writer, director, and star of your own life.

2. Be honest with yourself as you go through the process. Continually ask if you are trying to
achieve your real goals or just try to get people to approve of you.


According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking.
Number two is death . . . Does that sound right?
This means . . . if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.
~Jerry Seinfeld

If the voices in your head put you down, make you feel small, or tell you that you’re not good enough, it’s not likely you’ll get too far.
However, if the voices in your head are positive, encouraging, and supportive, telling you that you absolutely are capable of achieving your goals and dreams, you’ll do just that.

That’s your job—to uplift the people.
Let other people pontificate on whether what you’re doing is going to be a career breaker or career maker.
The great performer knows that’s a false either/or. He will take the risk because the bigger the risk and the higher the stakes, the greater the opportunity to create something exciting, moving, meaningful, shocking, and inspiring.
The performer knows how easy it is to criticize, so there is no point in sorting through it all. You’ll be well served if you simply do your best and care more about the quality of your work than pre-performance applause or the apoplectic antagonists.

Criticism is criticism even when dressed up as being “constructive.”

Often, it’s easier to find fault than to change a long-held belief.

The job as performers is to uplift the people, to rise above the noise, and to give our audience a powerful experience that will change their thinking about their work, ignite their passions to make a difference, believe in something new about themselves, or say yes to your request for a salary bump, yes to buying your product, or yes to investing in your company.

Don’t give critics the chance to slow you down—and don’t let the critic inside you do that either.

The whole world is, in fact, a stage and that you can write and play your own hero’s story.


Part II: Powerful Performance Principles

Learning how to amp up your motivation so you will achieve all your objectives; using the power of your imagination to act as if so you can increase your confidence and step out of your comfort zone to play a bigger game; saying yes, and . . . so you’re more creative and compelling to be around; being in the moment so you can respond to all the crazy things life and your performances throw at you; raising the stakes so you make your performances more exciting, and choosing early and often so you never sit backstage, vacillating over whether to take the spotlight or not...


You should always have an objective. Often in a good script, an objective is written into the scene: to end the affair, to propose, to move out. Your action can change from scene to scene but you should always work out what you are meant to be doing.
~Dee Cannon, acting teacher


The first principle is about choosing where you want to go, what you want to do, and what you want to accomplish with your performance. In acting terms, we refer to our most important goal for a performance as the super-objective and the smaller goals that get us to the big goal as our sub-objectives.

Think of it as working on a project. The project is designed around a big goal or a deliverable (the super-objective). Then, you identify the milestones (sub-objectives) that you need to accomplish in order to achieve the big goal. Once you have milestones, you figure out which tasks (tactics) you need to pursue in order to reach them. If you have a deep need to achieve the big goal, you’ll try any task you can think of to get it done.

From speech-making to networking, motivation is a powerful and liberating tool available to guide you in the decisions you make.

What are my goals and what is my motivation to accomplish those goals?

When making choices, always start with why and continue to ask yourself why until you get to the root of your need or desire. If you do, you’ll unleash a motivation so compelling that you’ll do everything in your power to pursue it. And that’s what will make you interesting to watch. When you give a speech, if your motivation is clear and you’ll try every tactic you can possibly think of to
achieve your goal—do everything in your power to get the audience to think, feel, and do what you want them to do—then you’ll be inspiring to watch, gratifying to hire, exciting to date, thrilling to love, and just too darn fun.


Using questions to establish motivation...
Discovering motivation starts with asking the necessary questions:
What do I want?
Why do I want it?
What will happen if I don’t get it now?
What happens if I do get it now?
What can I do to get what I want?
What must I overcome?

I believe in imagination. I did Kramer vs. Kramer before I had children.
But the mother I would be was already inside me.
—Meryl Streep

That sense of not fitting in or being ready for the spotlight is a reality the vast majority of us face at one point or another, but there is a way to control this feeling. We turn to our second principle, which actors call acting as if.

Acting as if is an imagination technique for converting what we see as adverse circumstances in work or life into new and more aspirational opportunities.
When you are acting as if, you are using your brain’s amazing powers to positively anticipate and create a different way of seeing the world and/or a different way of behaving.
It’s a technique that helps overcome negative behaviors and attitudes that hold you back so you can begin to make more conscious and intentional choices about how you want to perform and what you want to achieve when it matters.
In the words of Mark Twain, “You cannot depend on your eyes if your imagination is out of focus.”

Acting as if is about using the brain’s amazing powers of imagination to learn, change, and experience new things.

“When you imagine something, your body really feels like it’s happening.”
Acting as if is just that—strategic imagination aiming you in the right direction for successful personal and business performance.

By acting as if you begin to shift your consciousness from self-defeating ways of thinking into new conscious directions. It may seem simple in its approach, but the power of positive visualization lets your brain “rehearse” what lies ahead so that when your big performance arrives, it will seem as if you have already done that speech thousands of times before. This is what rehearsal is for.


“The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson


The act as if technique gives you the opportunity to become the thing you’re imagining yourself to be. You act as if you’re in charge. You act as if you are calm. You act as if you look forward to speaking to large groups. And slowly, those things become more and more true. And your performances become more and more natural.

Your imagination is a powerful asset. If it can make you think small, it can
also ensure you think big. If it can make you feel small, it can ensure that you
feel big. Eventually, acting as if becomes acting as is.


Learning how to take the risk required of winning performances and to manage any anxieties or fears you have in the process calls for becoming comfortable with discomfort.
This means you first figure out what kind of risks to take and how they will benefit you. Then you start getting comfortable with the discomfort that risk-taking brings.
Sometimes that means breaking the rules.
Adopt the principle that to create memorable presentations and performances, sometimes you must find ways to surprise, delight, provoke, and push the boundaries of your audience to build and create new things.

Know the distinction between saying yes and giving lip service.
Saying yes is about having the mindfulness to recognize and respond positively to the content and feeling of another person’s thoughts in conversation in real-time. Saying yes, and . . . is about a leap of faith where you give your attention to what others are offering, trusting that you’ll know what to do next.

As a strategic tactic, saying yes, and . . . helps us to look at creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving as a way to maintain momentum regardless of the negativity or problems that come our way.


Saying no happens often and you don’t want it to happen to you. Talented people who say no to the spotlight tend to stay in the background, behind the computer screen. The more they say no, the more comfortable they become with the status quo and the more they are upstaged—allowing people to steal the show from them.

Saying yes, and . . . is key to the way many of our greatest entrepreneurs think and work.
Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt said in a much-admired speech to UC Berkeley’s graduates in 2012, “Even if it is a bit edgy, a bit out of your comfort zone, saying yes means that you will do something new, meet someone new, and make a difference in your life, and likely in others’ lives as
well. Yes lets you stand out in a crowd, to be the optimist, to stay positive, to be the one everyone comes to for help, for advice, or just for fun. Yes is what keeps us all young. Yes is a tiny word that can do big things. Say it often.”

Saying yes, and . . . is also confirmed by science as a tonic for your brain and productivity.

Saying yes, and . . . is an approach trigger—it begins the positive cycle of creative, productive problem-solving. Saying yes, and . . . isn’t about giving yourself permission to say or do whatever crosses your mind. But it is about giving yourself permission to explore and experiment, to improve your ideas by finding out what works and what doesn’t.

Listening is about bringing all your skills to the performance.
Rehearsal prepares you for the performance.
If you’re prepared, during your performance you will be able to listen to what is actually happening around you; it helps you stay in the moment. What you do when you’re on live is what people will remember—and listening is a powerful component of live performance.


There are four ways the most connected people actively listen:

1: Thorough preparation;
2: By being present;
3: By paying attention with all their senses;
4: By viewing themselves in the third person—using aesthetic awareness.


When you prepare for a pitch, meeting, speech, or negotiation, the goal is to know your material so well that you are free to be in the moment. This is an important condition for listening because it’s hard to allow yourself to improvise if you don’t know your material right down to the core.

Rehearsing gives you the confidence to respond to the events and reactions of the moment, knowing you can come back to where you want to go with your planned content. You’ll be able to respond without disallowing anything outside of your predetermined script.

When you’re interviewing for a job, sitting down for a meeting with the executive team, or meeting someone for the first time, if you don’t know your material well, it can be difficult to stay in the moment because much of your brain’s bandwidth is being taken up trying to remember or
figure out what to do next.

It all starts with being well prepared and rehearsed so I can stay in the moment and listen to what’s being sent my way.
Being prepared increases the odds of seizing big opportunities at the moment.

Presence is the second facet of listening.
In the midst of a performance, whether you are sharing or alone in the spotlight, presence is about using the power of silence and pauses to stay rooted at the moment as it occurs.
When you’re not speaking, you want to really concentrate and hear what’s being said, as opposed
to quickly jump ahead to your next response.
You’ll never have a particular moment again, so it’s worth the investment to fully experience it in
real-time.

Presence helps make you a “whole brain” listener with greater empathy and engagement. Improving presence improves individual communications.

Only by making strong choices will you experience success and progress and therefore reinforce your commitment to change yourself and the world through your work and performances.


Part III: A Master Class in Public Speaking

Change the way you see the World!


The book is teaching material on the subject of what the best actors, marketers, business managers, and entrepreneurs know: their success is empowered by public performance told through true stories they believe and the characters they create.

The book is the silent partner for everyone who feels that it’s time to step out of the wings, onto the stage, and steal the show . . . no matter what you want to do with your life


The book is buzzing with anticipation to share with everybody interested the most amazing way that the dramatic concepts of acting, stagecraft and improvisation can help to communicate, speak, make deals, build and run a business, market the products, and try new things


The offers provided and promises made by the author at the beginning of the book have been completely fulfilled by the end of the book.

A proactive approach to the reader and it is not possible not to participate in guidelines author prepared with the main aim to accomplish goals and become yourself in every role in everyday activities and in all walks of life.

Think big about who you are and what you offer the World!

[Mark Henkel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review by Mark Henkel
© April 25, 2021
2,000 words

Steal the Show , by Michael Port,
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
is an excellent book, worthy of a rating of 4 of 5 stars.


STRUCTURE

Michael Port wrote this book with a sensible structure of 3 Parts.
Part 1: The Performer's Mindset (Ch's 1-3, pages 1-37)
Part 2: Powerful Performance Principles (Ch's 4-9, pages 38-82)
Part 3: A Master Class in Public Speaking (Ch's 10-15, pages 83-212)

Before all that, the "Author's Note" (5 pages) and the "Prologue" (13 pages) precede the 3 Parts. Going backward, the Prologue (obviously) comes off as the "prologue" to all 3 Parts - it IS titled as a "Prologue," after all. Preceding further backward, the "Author's Note" also comes off as a "prologue" to the "Prologue." Hence, they both serve as multiple "prologues" to the primary content. Yes, after finishing the book, that was when I gained this humorous/chuckling perspective.

But wait… there's more! The ending is similar to the beginning, too.

Namely, in the other direction, Part 3 is followed by a 5-page "Epilogue." And if that was not enough, an 11-page "Cheat Sheet" (of 50 Public Speaking Tips) acts as yet another form of "epilogue." The book concludes with "Acknowledgments" (2 pages), "Notes" (4 pages), and "Index" (8 pages).

While I do find it humorous to chucklingly refer to all the multiple "prologues" and "epilogues," I do have to give the author credit: it all works! All humor aside, yes, it genuinely does work, indeed.

I believe that the author rightly chose the sequence of Parts so as to better prepare the reader before getting to the primary content of Part 3. By starting with the proper mindset (taught in Part 1), the reader becomes rightly empowered to better apply the principles (taught in Part 2). By having both the mindset (Part 1) and the principles (part 2) first established, the reader becomes solidly empowered all that much more to apply the meaty content of Part 3.

This approach effectively demonstrates that the Author does indeed follow his own guidance to the reader. With all of the proverbial "prologues" and "epilogues" wrapping around Part 3 as the meat of the content, this structure is truly one that was "built from the inside out."

So that you know, I am also a public speaker. Long before I had even heard of this book, I, too, have been teaching the "build from the inside out" approach to speech development. So, yes, I was personally happy to see that the author also "built this from the inside out." While he is certainly not "preachy" in any sort of way, this book structure does prove that Michael Port's book truly "practices what he preaches."

I believe that the content does provide many excellent insights and perspectives for newbies, for intermediates, as well as for advanced speakers. And I enjoyed considering it all through the lens of a "performing actor's/actress'" point of view.



CONTENT

Author Michael Port frames this book under the paradigm of being a former professional actor. (He briefly cites his past TV credits, which some people might recognize.) Using that specific paradigm, he notes that "all the world's a stage" and that we are "performers." This concept applies to all the roles we "perform" in life. As the title declares, the purpose of the book is to guide the reader to
"Steal the Show - from Speeches to Job Interviews to Deal-Closing Pitches."
The cover promises to teach
"How to guarantee a standing ovation for all the performances in your life."

Part 1 prepares the reader to develop "The Performer's Mindset."
Ch. 1 Find Your Voice
Ch. 2 Play the Right Role in Every Situation
Ch. 3 Crush Your Fears and Silence the Critics

Part 2 teaches "Powerful Performance Principles."
Ch. 4 Have a Clear Objective
Ch. 5 Act "As if…"
Ch. 6 Raise the Stakes
Ch. 7 Say "Yes, and…"
Ch. 8 Be in the Moment
Ch. 9 Choose Early and Often

Part 3 provides "A Master Class in Public Speaking."
Ch. 10 How to Craft Captivating Pitches, Speeches, and Stories
Ch. 11 How to Create and Tell Stories That Make 'Em Laugh or Cry
Ch. 12 How to Rehearse and Stage World-Class Performances
Ch. 13 How to Produce Powerful Openings, Commanding Closings, and Amazing Audience Interaction
Ch. 14 How to Improvise Your Way into the Hearts and Minds of the Toughest Crowds
Ch. 15 How to Get a Standing Ovation Every Time - Really

The "Epilogue" reminds the reader of all that has been learned and then directs the reader to write down one's own life into "3 Acts." In the end, he even provides an email address, inviting readers to feel free to share their stories and see if he might be of help along the way.

"The Cheat Sheet" provides "The 50 Public Speaking Tips You Can't Afford to Ignore If You Want to Wow Your Audience and Win Praise and Plaudits Every Time." New speakers will absolutely benefit from these Tips. Experienced speakers might recognize some of the well-said Tips, of course. Even so, there are also many additionally valuable Tips - some with new or different takes (perspectives) that can still add value to intermediate and advanced speakers.

Right from the start, the following opening Tip caught my attention. In Tip #1 on Page 213, the author mentions that which many Toastmasters often repeat: the mantra of "Tell them what you're going to tell them; tell them; then tell them what you told them." (FMI, see Toastmasters.org.) In this first Tip, author Michael Port says, "You DON'T have to" do that. I paused instantly. While I do think that the mantra is indeed helpful for newbie speakers, I therefore perceived that his Tip "against" it might be targeted for more experienced speakers who already "know the (proverbial) rules" of public speaking. I perceived that Tip #1 was teaching advanced speakers to "break the rules." For clarity, I have taught others what I call the "Karate Kid (movie) lesson:" newbies should first learn and "know the rules" before they even think about being ready to start "breaking the rules." Moreover, I had already observed that the author himself had exactly APPLIED that mantra in the making of this book too! Namely, the "Prologue" specifically "told us" what to expect in each of the Parts and Chapters that would follow in the book. And… the "Epilogue" did indeed "tell us what he told us." As I continued onward to read the remaining 49 other Tips, all these foregoing observations and thoughts remained in my mind throughout. After reading the 50th Tip, I became especially extra-excited as the very next paragraph declares the following: "Most rules are meant to be broken. But to break the rules of performance, you need to know what the rules are. You need to know why they exist and exactly why you're breaking them. When you break the rules with a real purpose, you can produce a better and more effective result." Yes! I so emphatically and exactly agree. Seeing this final comment brought it all together. In this clarified context, I happily concur: Tip #1 was perfectly made - and made perfect sense. I loved it!

The "Notes" segment serves as the combined source for the footnotes, written as the bibliography. Not every chapter uses a footnote; and, some have only one. I found that only one chapter contained as many as four footnotes, occurring only once. There were times when I felt a footnote would have been additionally helpful. For example, while he did mention the date, magazine name, and article title pertaining to Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, on Page 16, it was neither footnoted nor bibliographed. The magazine name was only later repeated in the "Index" that referenced Tim Cook back on Page 16. I mention this point to say this: while the author did apply some footnotes in this book, footnoting was neither used all that much nor used with consistency. Additionally, on Page 78, Michael Port writes, "Making choices isn't being smart or wonderful. ‘It's our choices… that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities,' author J.K. Rowling has written." The end of that sentence makes the only footnote (#1) of the entire chapter. That quote sounds reasonable enough. However, when readers review that footnote itself on Page 228, we discover that the quote is apparently from the fictional book that J.K. Rowling wrote: "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets." Here I was thinking this was a quote that that famous author herself had said! While it is true that J.K. Rowling wrote that line, context would still be better served to let us know that the line came from the fiction she wrote. With these examples, it seemed to me that Michael Port currently possesses fewer skills in bibliographing his own material than he possesses with the excellence of otherwise communicating his content. (Admittedly, perhaps I'm being pedantic.)



WRAP UP

It took me 9 hours and 53 minutes to complete this book as my full read-time (including underlining and margin-noting). I read this book over just 7 days, from April 16 through April 23, 2021.

I also have to add one more personal note here. In the "Acknowledgements," the author opens the segment with the first three words in all capital letters, on Page 224, "GEORGE ORWELL SAID, ‘Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout with some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand.'" That reference was a jaw-dropping, serendipitous coincidence for me. The last book that I had just previously finished reading before I had read Michael Port's book here, was, "1984," a book written by none other than… George Orwell!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Yes, I am excited to have read "Steal the Show" and to now have it in my library. For background perspective, I have found that, too often, books written by speakers can unfortunately end up being either brag-bag or fluff-fest disappointments - all so that those speakers can thereafter call themselves as "authors." I opine that Michael Port did not make those disappointments with his book here. I found the book to be well-organized, professionally edited (footnote issues, notwithstanding), and not over-the-top "braggy" of the author's own accomplishments. As an experienced speaker, I was happy to learn some excellent insights and new ideas for my own improvement; and I was likewise glad to see how well he delivered information to be helpful for newbie speakers too. Undoubtedly, I liked how he made it all applicable even beyond giving speeches. The book delivers on its promise.

As an extra, I was also happy to learn a fun, new vocabulary word,
Perseverates (Page xxv).
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dicti...

Also, I enjoyed the author's occasional humor. For example, on Page 36, he warns speakers of the danger in making generalizations to which audience members might possibly dispute. The author explains the reason for such caution: "all generalities are false. Including that one."

I decided to rate this book with a rating of 4 of 5 stars - mostly because of the issues regarding the footnotes. Aside from such minor things, though, this book is most definitely an excellent book. I can see myself re-reading this book from time to time. I will certainly pick it up to re-scan for reminding myself of key principles and quotes. I can even see myself perhaps considering to reference it within the bibliographies of my own future topical book projects. (We will see.) In any event, this is worth all 4 stars of this 4 of 5 star rating.

If you are interested in becoming better able to "perform" in the "roles" of your life - especially when it comes to speeches, presentations, or pitches - I believe that you will enjoy both reading this book and having it in your own personal library too.

Steal the Show
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
is a 4 Star book.

###

Book Review by Mark Henkel
© April 25, 2021

[Innocent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really amazing, especially if you want to do exceptional on public speaking. It provides lots of cool, inspiring ideas on public speaking, and you get to see the areas you need to improve on just by reading the first 15 pages of the book!

[Rodrigo · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my opinion, it's a good book, it has a good approach to the subject by the author with some practical overall examples and step by steps to apply the techniques/methods mentioned. But, there are some parts of the book that the content gets too specific for professional speakers with tips and models far from the reality of the majority of people (conference presentations to a big audience for example). It was during those parts that I started to lose interest and my reading became lame, it was very hard to finish reading the book, to be honest. Well, anyway, I'm gonna share with you below the most interesting parts for me.
First, the question involving stopping the criticism mindset, the thoughts in our heads saying that you are gonna fail and aren't good enough. These types of thoughts just exist to hinder your performance. Second the 3 types of people in an audience: Fans, Haters and, the most important group that you should aim for, which the author name "The persuadables", because they don't love you unconditionally yet but, also, don't hate at all cost yet too, which means that they're open to your ideas and, if you do a great job they will become your fans!
Third, and, the most important part of the book for me along with the "Rehearsal Process part", is the Creating Speeches part: During this point the author tries to instigate you about thinking, primarily, what's the goal of your performance, who's the audience, what are the benefits that the audience is gonna get from your performance, how people will change after listening to what you are gonna say? Then he talks about the six most common frameworks to structure a presentation and help you in creating the outlines of your performance (1. problem/solution 2. numerical 3.chronological 4."compare and contrast" 5. act structure). And, last but not least, the two types of speeches: Curriculum (that the intention is to transmit a content or information) and Idea (which the intention is to transmit a message or experience).

[Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Port did a good job laying out some tips in terms of how to become a better performer. He takes his background in acting finds many ways to successfully adopt to public speaking. I found it surprising how many parallels there are such as being in the moment, improv, rehearsal, motivation, and many more. However, there's only so much Michael can give in a book - you have to get out there and actually practice/do it! It's like reading a book on swimming technique - it won't work if you don't get into a pool :). With that said, I would like to see two improvements in this book. First, it would be great if he provided more examples of the stories he described. He gave a number of story frameworks such as "problem/solution", "numerical", "chronological", "compare and contrast", and the "three-act structure". He broke them down and talked about them in a fair amount of detail but didn't provide as many real examples and I would have liked. Second, the book especially the last third of it is really geared towards speaking publicly in front of crowds like a TED Talk or lecture hall. But what if I were doing an online presentation to a number of people? Or if I was more one-on-one such as a sales meeting or job interview? The book brushes on some of that in terms of mindset and preparation but doesn't nearly go into as much detail in those types of settings as it does trying to perform in front of a live audience.

[Subu Balan · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** only because it kept my attention throughout the book. IMO the contents of this book can be classified as 30% good, 60% brag (about the author’s company, his background and his style) and 10% ‘not sure why that was relevant’.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

The word "performance" has a kind of oily overtone: think of someone "performing" in conversation or a presentation, and you probably think of someone who's faking it. But as Michael Port points out, performance can be profoundly authentic—and in this book, he draws on the actor's toolbox to equip you to deliver convincing, powerful, honest performances.

The emphasis is on public speaking, but much of what he covers applies to everything from crucial conversations to that make-or-break job interview. And he provides examples that cover the full gamut of life's performances.

I'm glad I bought both the audiobook and the Kindle version. I know I'll be referring back to the text often, but there's no substitute for hearing Michael's examples—especially around voice work and delivery.

I've been writing and delivering speeches, and coaching public speakers, for well over 20 years, and I learned a lot. I hope you'll find this just as useful.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

My old friend Michael Port has written a great general book of advice for conceiving, preparing, and delivering a great speech, whether it's on a stage or in a conference room, or at a romantic tete-a-tete with your future spouse. It's written in an easy-to-read, conversational style and Michael covers all the basic bases. The only thing I disagree with him on: don't get your audience to stand up to do something at the end of your talk, then leave them standing so that they give you a "standing ovation." He claims that's not cheesy or cheating, but it is. Otherwise all the advice is spot on and arranged in a way that makes it simple to dip into for advice on a particular part of the process.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great advice, even for seasoned pros

Port sets out a whole program for conceiving, outlining, rehearsing and delivering a great speech. He draws upon his extensive training as an actor and exhorts us to think of the speech as a performance and ourselves as performers. That alone is game changing. I particularly appreciate his emphasis on rehearsal, and doing it in three separate phases. I will be taking almost all of his suggestions to heart, and am excited to use them in my next performance!

[Ned · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book talks about how to give a great performance in almost any situation. The author uses personal experiences as examples and provides a lot of emphasis on the motivation and why it is important to do the steps described. In a way the steps are slightly abstract and require you to think on your feet, if you are not good on these it will be hard to steal the show in dynamic environments like giving a speech.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Port shares his expertise in keynote speaking, acting, improv and coaching to help readers prepare and deliver impactful speeches. Chapter 12 on how to rehearse and stage a performance is particularly strong, as are chapters 1-3 on the performer's mindset. A good counterpart to Second City's "Yes, And...".

[Jim]

This book is easy and fun to read. I nailed a Toastmasters icebreaker with what I learned from a quick reading. I'll definitely study this material; it sounds great.

[Etienne]

Really enjoyed this book, I do a lot of public speaking so it was interesting to get new ideas. Mr. Port has a good writing style and interesting examples to get better at public speaking.

[Josh Steimle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unless you communicate exclusively through email then speaking is critical to your career and your ability to influence others. This book is a great one to help you learn how to do it better.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good book, I found the lessons useful.

[Sabrina Starling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good strategies. Will be most useful for those doing public speaking.

[Stephanie Scotti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever admired the confidence and poise of a stage performer, wishing you could “perform” like that for your next major speaking engagement? In his book, Steal the Show, Michael Port teaches us how to do just that.

To be candid, I have often pushed back when colleagues and clients compared delivering a presentation to a stage performance. I saw that as projecting a false façade; showing people something other than who you truly are.

Yet Port’s book did not advocate being false. Quite the contrary! It was grounded in authenticity. Port’s advice centers around putting your best self forward so you can remain confident and adaptable in the moment.

What presenters can learn from performers

Port had me convinced from chapter one about the value of adopting the performer’s mindset for public speaking.

The book opens with “Find Your Voice,” a discussion about second-guessing ourselves and doubting the value of what we have to say. Steal the Show tells you how to crush your fears and silence your inner critic — offering actionable tips for expressing yourself in a way that delivers big results for you and your career. Here are 3 examples of Port’s techniques for bringing your authentic self forward, that resonated with me the most.

The value of rehearsal

Who would think of doing a live stage performance without rehearsing? Stepping up to speak requires the same kind of extensive preparation.

Port has developed a 7-step process for rehearsing that will take both first-time speakers and seasoned professionals to the next level. He provides insights about wardrobe, memorization, and an unbeatable strategy for using visuals (similar to Professionally Speaking’s Glance and Grab).

Here are some highlights of Port’s rehearsal process:

The “table read:” reading your presentation out loud to yourself several times to tweak your content before practicing in front of others.

“Blocking:” choosing specific points on stage to give you a framework for movement that’s authentic rather than awkward. Unlike fully choreographing a performance, blocking for a presentation is about moving with purpose instead of aimless pacing.

The dress and technical rehearsal: practicing on the venue stage with equipment. I loved the way Port takes tried-and-true public speaking principles and updates them for modern situations, like making sure you understand the room and how to operate the technology you’ll be using.

Professionally Speaking Tip. Rather than striving for perfection, rehearsals are about being familiar enough with your presentation that you’re confident and ready to connect with your audience.

The skill of improv

We tend to think that excelling at improvisation is a talent some are born with, or not. The truth is, improv is a skill you can develop.

What exactly is “improv” (what I like to call “pivoting”) for public speaking? It’s about being open and ready to seizing the moment, being present to your listeners and making your content relevant to what is happening in the room.

Anyone who presents regularly knows there are guaranteed curve balls. Don’t be that person who sticks with the plan even when the situation calls for a change. Improv is having the confidence and flexibility to pivot and adjust your presentation in the moment, to deal with the unexpected, relate new information, or simply be spontaneous.

Port’s advice? Always say yes to whatever is handed to you, and figure out how to use it to your advantage. “Build on whatever is happening and make it better.”

How to be a team player

Port talks about speaking as a “team sport,” and I found that analogy to be particularly relevant. As speakers, we sometimes get wrapped up in what we plan to say or do. As a result, we can forget to recognize the many other people involved in this process: other speakers, production staff, crew, and of course the audience.

Connecting with everyone on the team can help you hone your content, improve your delivery skills, ensure everything runs smoothly, and ultimately increase your confidence.

My final shout out about Port’s book is his “cheat sheet” that summarizes the 50 public speaking tips you can’t afford to ignore. What a useful resource when you want to “steal the show” at your next presentation!

[Pavel Annenkov · Rating 3 out of 5]

О ЧЕМ КНИГА:
Автор этой книги - актер. Поэтому он подошел к теме разработки публичных выступлений и презентаций с точки зрения актерского мастерства. Пригодится всем, кто планирует выступать перед большими аудиториями, сотрудниками или бизнес-партнерами.
Сделать идеальную презентацию и отточить до совершенства выступление все равно не получится. На него влияет слишком много факторов. Но если вы просто реализуете все необходимые вещи из книги, то точно будете на две головы выше, чем все остальные спикеры.

КАКАЯ БЫЛА ЦЕЛЬ ЧТЕНИЯ:
- Научиться новым навыкам публичных выступлений, так как в апреле у меня планировалось минимум два)

ГЛАВНЫЕ ВЫВОДЫ:
- Никогда не забывать зачем я выхожу выступать. У ��аждого выступления должна быть четкая цель. What are my goals and what is my motivation to accomplish those goals?

- Если бы в публичных выступлениях не было столько дискомфорта, то и награда за хорошую речь не была бы такой большой.

- Часто эксперт отличается от обычного человека только тем, что смог правильно организовать и преподнести информацию по определенному предмету.

- What’s nonnegotiable is that your presentation needs to start with a moment that helps you connect with your audience. Это может быть история или мощная цитата. Но они должны впечатлить людей.

- Никогда не надо подстраивать свое выступление под требования организаторов. Выступление с презентацией на сцене сродни искусству. А искусство нельзя загонять в рамки.

- People say yes when we’ve affected them intellectually, emotionally, or physically. Can you include those three elements in your presentation? Can you give them intellectual gristle to chew on? Can you make them gasp or cry or laugh with an emotional connection? Can you get them physically engaged (you can tell by the way they’re sitting) with your ideas and message? If not, it’s probably because you’re reading this cheat sheet before you’ve read the book.

- Не забывать использовать в выступлении реквизит. Включить это в чек-лист подготовки к презентации. Это будет отличать меня от большинства спикеров.

ЧТО Я БУДУ ПРИМЕНЯТЬ В ЖИЗНИ И БИЗНЕСЕ:
- Для каждого выступления или презентации буду использовать "План 7 шагов по созданию контента".

ЕЩЕ НА ЭТУ ТЕМУ:
Р. Гандапас «Камасутра для оратора». Олдскул, но там есть все базовые вещи.