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How to Wash a Chicken: Mastering the Business Presentation
How to Wash a Chicken is not a book about public speaking (or chickens), it’s a comprehensive playbook for business leaders and people on their way up to give the best presentations of their lives, and embark on a circle of presentation success.
All too often, the best intentions and most innovative ideas get lost in a poorly executed presentation. Author Tim Calkins understands the power of a compelling presentation and the difficulty in accomplishing one. The brand strategist, professor and author has been giving presentations since he was eight, when he delivered his first official presentation with an uncooperative chicken at a 4-H competition. From business updates to project recommendations to marketing plans, Calkins has given more than five thousand presentations to date.
With concrete suggestions, helpful tricks, and step-by-step guidance that’s applicable to all industries, Calkins sets out to propel his readers to create and deliver effective business presentations and pitches. When all lessons from How to Wash a Chicken are applied, readers will be empowered throughout the preparation and presentation process. They will be able to present with more confidence and conviction than they ever had before, setting them on a path of professional growth.
All too often, the best intentions and most innovative ideas get lost in a poorly executed presentation. Author Tim Calkins understands the power of a compelling presentation and the difficulty in accomplishing one. The brand strategist, professor and author has been giving presentations since he was eight, when he delivered his first official presentation with an uncooperative chicken at a 4-H competition. From business updates to project recommendations to marketing plans, Calkins has given more than five thousand presentations to date.
With concrete suggestions, helpful tricks, and step-by-step guidance that’s applicable to all industries, Calkins sets out to propel his readers to create and deliver effective business presentations and pitches. When all lessons from How to Wash a Chicken are applied, readers will be empowered throughout the preparation and presentation process. They will be able to present with more confidence and conviction than they ever had before, setting them on a path of professional growth.
- GenresBusinessNonfiction
264 pages, Hardcover
Published September 25, 2018
About the author
Tim Calkins
7 books21 followersTim Calkins is business author, consultant and teacher. He helps individuals and companies communicate clearly and build strong brands.
He is Clinical Professor of Marketing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, where he teaches courses including Marketing Strategy and Biomedical Marketing.
Tim works with major corporations around the world on strategy and branding issues through his firm Class 5 Consulting. Recent clients include Eli Lilly, Kraft Heinz and Hearst.
He is the author of books including Defending Your Brand and Breakthrough Marketing Plans.
Tim began his career at the consulting firm Booz Allen and Hamilton, where he worked on strategy and branding issues. He joined the marketing team at Kraft Foods in 1991. During his almost 11 years at Kraft, he led businesses including Miracle Whip, Taco Bell, A.1. steak sauce, Seven Seas and DiGiorno. While at Kraft he was responsible for the launch of more than two dozen new products.
He received his BA from Yale in 1987 and his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1991.
Tim lives in Chicago with his wife and three children. He loves to hike, canoe and ski.
He is Clinical Professor of Marketing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, where he teaches courses including Marketing Strategy and Biomedical Marketing.
Tim works with major corporations around the world on strategy and branding issues through his firm Class 5 Consulting. Recent clients include Eli Lilly, Kraft Heinz and Hearst.
He is the author of books including Defending Your Brand and Breakthrough Marketing Plans.
Tim began his career at the consulting firm Booz Allen and Hamilton, where he worked on strategy and branding issues. He joined the marketing team at Kraft Foods in 1991. During his almost 11 years at Kraft, he led businesses including Miracle Whip, Taco Bell, A.1. steak sauce, Seven Seas and DiGiorno. While at Kraft he was responsible for the launch of more than two dozen new products.
He received his BA from Yale in 1987 and his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1991.
Tim lives in Chicago with his wife and three children. He loves to hike, canoe and ski.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
December 28, 2018
I accidentally checked this audiobook out from my library’s Hoopla site, but I found it quite well done. I’ve read many business presentation books over the past few years, and most focus on the message. Here, the author spends as much time focusing on meeting logistics as the message. It was refreshing to read his advice in when to cancel a meeting – I had not seen other books cover this necessary political skill, and it is well described here. Another one of my hot buttons is team presentations. It seems most business presentations I’ve been involved with over the past few decades had two or more presenters, but the logistics of the dance of changing presenters is rarely discussed. Here, the author provides suggestions on limiting handoffs, and in making those handoffs as professional and quick as possible. The author also provides valuable advice in preparing for the “physical plant” of the room, testing lighting before the presentation for instance. About half of this book is traditional business presentation messaging advice, and the author quotes many of the books that I suspect many have read, like Nancy Duarte’s books, and Gallo’s book on Jobs’ presentation skills. Overall, I found this a valuable addition to the literature on business presentation, with good summation of state of the art from other books and a bonus focus on logistics and politics of presentations and meeting planning.
January 6, 2019
Thorough & helpful guide to acing your business presentation.
April 25, 2023
Helped me to recognize becoming a good presenter is an attainable goal. Complete with objectives on how best to present information. Very different than what I learned during my formal education, making this book more valuable to me than it likely would be for someone with a business-focused background.
May 3, 2019
Other than the extensive use of the term Personal Brand - which, okay, I understand but also detest and had a physical aversion to the more he discussed - this was a fine book with good tips on presenting (or when to not present). Our presentation skills group at work picked this as the subject of our first book club meeting. Accordingly, I made a number of notes, which I’ll paste below for your information and for my future reference:
Questions to ask presenters during practices:
Why are you presenting?
What is the objective?
Who is the audience?
What do they know?
What do they want to hear?
Does the audience already have an opinion?
5 things every presentation needs:
1. cover page including title, date, names, location
2. Purpose
3. Agenda
4. Executive summary
5. Conclusion
Tips in creating a presentation:
Only 3 or 4 bullet points per slide
If presenting with a group, consider working together with continual involvement and agreement on the core message, storyboard together, divide specific slide images/data production (don’t create individual sections - they will not flow)
Record practice presentations for presenter review
Go through presentation afterward and make notes, clarify sections, make corrections
Do not memorize the presentation
How to improve presentation:
1. Simplify slides and remove clutter
2. Avoid passive writing
3. Purchase a presenter (clicker) to advance slides.
Questions to ask presenters during practices:
Why are you presenting?
What is the objective?
Who is the audience?
What do they know?
What do they want to hear?
Does the audience already have an opinion?
5 things every presentation needs:
1. cover page including title, date, names, location
2. Purpose
3. Agenda
4. Executive summary
5. Conclusion
Tips in creating a presentation:
Only 3 or 4 bullet points per slide
If presenting with a group, consider working together with continual involvement and agreement on the core message, storyboard together, divide specific slide images/data production (don’t create individual sections - they will not flow)
Record practice presentations for presenter review
Go through presentation afterward and make notes, clarify sections, make corrections
Do not memorize the presentation
How to improve presentation:
1. Simplify slides and remove clutter
2. Avoid passive writing
3. Purchase a presenter (clicker) to advance slides.
July 8, 2022
This would be a great book for individuals who are giving presentations within a corporate, business or business school setting. However I don't think this was exactly what I thought it would be (perhaps my fault) and thought it would include a bit more description of interactive presentation techniques for those of us teaching specific skills.
While there are some general presenting skills discussed, it is focused on presentations where the purpose is to make and get agreement on a specific recommendation, especially where office politics are involved and when there may be interactivity in the meeting, including multiple presenters. It's an interesting thought exercise to consider how it might be applicable in other contexts (for instance, as an outside consultant how can you come to better understand these politics and combine these skills with others like from Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used, or as a professional speaker which TED like skills do make more sense?)
While there are some general presenting skills discussed, it is focused on presentations where the purpose is to make and get agreement on a specific recommendation, especially where office politics are involved and when there may be interactivity in the meeting, including multiple presenters. It's an interesting thought exercise to consider how it might be applicable in other contexts (for instance, as an outside consultant how can you come to better understand these politics and combine these skills with others like from Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used, or as a professional speaker which TED like skills do make more sense?)
January 18, 2020
I think this book does provide a very logical approach to business presentations, but I love that it Tim Calkins focuses on the small things and how they can affect both the outcome of the presentation and your personal brand. I will be taking a lot of lessons from this book and be applying it to my professional life due to it's relevancy.
If you are someone that is new to presenting, this book will set you up to be successful from the start. The strategies and recommendations in this book truly help with understanding the basics of presenting.
If you have presented many times before, this book will help you take the next step in improving your presenting. I think one of the most important distinctions made in this book is that Tim Calkins talks about how Business Presentations are different than what people perceive as "public speaking". Most people imagine it as Ted Talks when in reality Business Presentations are incredibly different in the delivery and the dynamics of the presentation. This will help you understand the smaller things that can help you go from a good presenter to a great presenter.
If you are someone that is new to presenting, this book will set you up to be successful from the start. The strategies and recommendations in this book truly help with understanding the basics of presenting.
If you have presented many times before, this book will help you take the next step in improving your presenting. I think one of the most important distinctions made in this book is that Tim Calkins talks about how Business Presentations are different than what people perceive as "public speaking". Most people imagine it as Ted Talks when in reality Business Presentations are incredibly different in the delivery and the dynamics of the presentation. This will help you understand the smaller things that can help you go from a good presenter to a great presenter.
January 3, 2019
While the book provides some insights into preparing for a presentation in the business world, the message is not complete. Author Tim Calkinds provides advice about public speaking that has roots in the usual textbook about public speaking. He also helps us understand how to make use of new technologies that have revolutionized changed what speakers can do to engage audiences.
However, the book works from the assumption that the words and images on the screen are the only thing that’s matters in a speech. The limits the work of public speaking is a matter of working from a script summarizes what the speaker is saying. The book doesn’t say much about the dynamics of eye-to-eye interaction audience and the sound of the speaker.
The advice is good stuff. It’s just not complete, especially for the naive speaker.
However, the book works from the assumption that the words and images on the screen are the only thing that’s matters in a speech. The limits the work of public speaking is a matter of working from a script summarizes what the speaker is saying. The book doesn’t say much about the dynamics of eye-to-eye interaction audience and the sound of the speaker.
The advice is good stuff. It’s just not complete, especially for the naive speaker.
August 21, 2026
A Presentation Book That Actually Changed My Approach
I've read plenty of books about public speaking, but this one approached presentations from a perspective I hadn't considered before. Tim Calkins focuses less on stage presence and more on the thinking that goes into creating a presentation people actually remember. What surprised me most was how much preparation influences confidence. I finished the book feeling like great presenters aren't born—they simply prepare differently. I'll definitely be revisiting several chapters before my next major presentation.
I've read plenty of books about public speaking, but this one approached presentations from a perspective I hadn't considered before. Tim Calkins focuses less on stage presence and more on the thinking that goes into creating a presentation people actually remember. What surprised me most was how much preparation influences confidence. I finished the book feeling like great presenters aren't born—they simply prepare differently. I'll definitely be revisiting several chapters before my next major presentation.
August 21, 2026
Much More Than the Curious Title Suggests
The title made me smile, but the content is what kept me reading. I expected a few presentation tips, yet what I found was a complete roadmap for organizing ideas, understanding an audience, and delivering a message with purpose. The examples never felt forced, and the advice was practical enough that I could immediately apply it at work. This is one of those business books that earns a permanent place on the shelf instead of collecting dust after one read.
The title made me smile, but the content is what kept me reading. I expected a few presentation tips, yet what I found was a complete roadmap for organizing ideas, understanding an audience, and delivering a message with purpose. The examples never felt forced, and the advice was practical enough that I could immediately apply it at work. This is one of those business books that earns a permanent place on the shelf instead of collecting dust after one read.
December 28, 2020
I enjoyed this book a lot. It is very simple to read and follow with very clear guidelines on how to do an effective presentation. Author is very experienced and it shows in his anecdotes and gives insights on how and why common errors don't work (putting a lot of content on slides, having people take different parts of a presentation, etc..). Focus is a bit more on business presentations - however, I think much of the content can be applied to anything.
June 18, 2026
Professor Caulkins was one of my favorite professors at Kellogg and his Marketing Growth & Defense class pushed me to make better presentations that were more fitting for marketers. This book is probably more helpful for those who are making presentations from scratch and/or have less experience and some bits aren’t really applicable for corporate settings, but definitely some good tactical tidbits in it.
August 21, 2026
A Confidence Builder for Nervous Presenters
As someone who gets nervous every time I'm asked to present, this book felt surprisingly encouraging. It never made me feel inadequate for struggling with presentations. Instead, it broke the process into manageable steps that made the entire experience seem achievable. By the final chapter, I wasn't just thinking about becoming a better speaker I was thinking about becoming a better communicator.
As someone who gets nervous every time I'm asked to present, this book felt surprisingly encouraging. It never made me feel inadequate for struggling with presentations. Instead, it broke the process into manageable steps that made the entire experience seem achievable. By the final chapter, I wasn't just thinking about becoming a better speaker I was thinking about becoming a better communicator.
August 21, 2026
Preparation Is the Real Secret
What stood out to me wasn't flashy storytelling or motivational language. It was the discipline behind every recommendation. Tim Calkins makes a convincing case that effective presentations are built through careful planning rather than charisma alone. That was a refreshing message because it means anyone willing to put in the work can improve. I appreciated how realistic and grounded the advice felt.
What stood out to me wasn't flashy storytelling or motivational language. It was the discipline behind every recommendation. Tim Calkins makes a convincing case that effective presentations are built through careful planning rather than charisma alone. That was a refreshing message because it means anyone willing to put in the work can improve. I appreciated how realistic and grounded the advice felt.
August 21, 2026
I Rethought Everything About Presentations
This book changed the way I look at presentations entirely. Before reading it, I believed slides were the most important part of a presentation. Now I realize they're only one piece of a much larger puzzle. The sections about understanding your audience and shaping your message were easily the most valuable for me. Those lessons extend far beyond presentations—they apply to everyday communication as well.
This book changed the way I look at presentations entirely. Before reading it, I believed slides were the most important part of a presentation. Now I realize they're only one piece of a much larger puzzle. The sections about understanding your audience and shaping your message were easily the most valuable for me. Those lessons extend far beyond presentations—they apply to everyday communication as well.
August 21, 2026
Every Chapter Made Me Reflect
This wasn't the quickest business book I've read because I found myself stopping often to reflect on my own presentation habits. I realized how many mistakes I'd been repeating without even noticing. Rather than overwhelming me with complicated frameworks, the author offers practical adjustments that seem small individually but add up to a much stronger presentation overall.
This wasn't the quickest business book I've read because I found myself stopping often to reflect on my own presentation habits. I realized how many mistakes I'd been repeating without even noticing. Rather than overwhelming me with complicated frameworks, the author offers practical adjustments that seem small individually but add up to a much stronger presentation overall.
August 21, 2026
Relevant No Matter What You Do
What impressed me most was how applicable the advice is regardless of your profession. Whether you're pitching an idea, leading a meeting, teaching a class, or presenting to executives, the principles remain relevant. I found myself thinking back to presentations I'd given years ago and recognizing exactly what had gone wrong. That level of insight made this book worthwhile.
What impressed me most was how applicable the advice is regardless of your profession. Whether you're pitching an idea, leading a meeting, teaching a class, or presenting to executives, the principles remain relevant. I found myself thinking back to presentations I'd given years ago and recognizing exactly what had gone wrong. That level of insight made this book worthwhile.
August 21, 2026
Clear, Honest, and Refreshingly Useful
I expected another business book filled with buzzwords and recycled advice. Thankfully, this wasn't that. Tim Calkins communicates with clarity and humility, making the lessons easy to absorb without oversimplifying the challenges of presenting. I especially appreciated how much attention he gives to preparation before anyone ever stands in front of an audience.
I expected another business book filled with buzzwords and recycled advice. Thankfully, this wasn't that. Tim Calkins communicates with clarity and humility, making the lessons easy to absorb without oversimplifying the challenges of presenting. I especially appreciated how much attention he gives to preparation before anyone ever stands in front of an audience.
October 29, 2018
This book is a pragmatic approach to a feature of most individuals careers which is at times disregarded. In a career, everyone is expected to deliver presentations from time to time and failing to deliver in a polished fashion raises serious doubt about all other work products; warranted or not.
This book is an easy must read for aspiring business professionals.
This book is an easy must read for aspiring business professionals.
August 21, 2026
Practical Lessons I'll Keep Using
I picked this up because I wanted to improve my presentations at work, but I walked away learning much more than that. The book quietly teaches leadership, persuasion, preparation, and professionalism without ever becoming overly academic. Every chapter gave me something practical to think about. That's becoming increasingly rare in business books.
I picked this up because I wanted to improve my presentations at work, but I walked away learning much more than that. The book quietly teaches leadership, persuasion, preparation, and professionalism without ever becoming overly academic. Every chapter gave me something practical to think about. That's becoming increasingly rare in business books.
August 21, 2026
Advice That Comes From Real Experience
One thing I appreciated was that the author clearly writes from experience rather than theory. You can tell he's spent years presenting in real business situations. Instead of generic advice like "be confident," he explains exactly how confidence is built through preparation and thoughtful planning. Those details made all the difference for me.
One thing I appreciated was that the author clearly writes from experience rather than theory. You can tell he's spent years presenting in real business situations. Instead of generic advice like "be confident," he explains exactly how confidence is built through preparation and thoughtful planning. Those details made all the difference for me.
August 21, 2026
One of Those Books You Keep Coming Back To
There are books that motivate you for a day, and there are books that quietly improve how you approach your work for years. I think this falls into the second category. I finished it with pages full of notes and several ideas I intend to incorporate into future presentations. It's practical without being dry and informative without being overwhelming.
There are books that motivate you for a day, and there are books that quietly improve how you approach your work for years. I think this falls into the second category. I finished it with pages full of notes and several ideas I intend to incorporate into future presentations. It's practical without being dry and informative without being overwhelming.
July 8, 2019
this is a very quick read with some great insights into presentations. Only small caveat would be if it were more focused or discussed more the presentation or webinar outside of the business meeting, but same principles apply.
December 9, 2021
最好有看過一些做得很爛的簡報和不知所云的講者，再看這本書會比較有共鳴。
如果要做商務簡報的話可以看這本書，作者輕楚的說明要如何製作簡報，還有事前分析你的觀眾，用「他們的語言」來說服他們，並在簡報當下注意他們的body language。
但是如果是做學術論文這種無可避免充滿數字和圖表，並沒有太多呼籲行動的報告的話，這本書幫助會比較少。
當然還是有些Common的論點大家都可以用的，包括不要一直盯著電腦螢幕，要注意你的觀眾，每張投影片的重點不宜太多，弭平資訊落差，提供背景資訊，站在在大家共同的立足點再往前推進。
如果要做商務簡報的話可以看這本書，作者輕楚的說明要如何製作簡報，還有事前分析你的觀眾，用「他們的語言」來說服他們，並在簡報當下注意他們的body language。
但是如果是做學術論文這種無可避免充滿數字和圖表，並沒有太多呼籲行動的報告的話，這本書幫助會比較少。
當然還是有些Common的論點大家都可以用的，包括不要一直盯著電腦螢幕，要注意你的觀眾，每張投影片的重點不宜太多，弭平資訊落差，提供背景資訊，站在在大家共同的立足點再往前推進。
September 22, 2019
What a great read! A comprehensive, accessible guide to business presenting. I felt like I was in Professor Calkins’ class again. I enjoyed the anecdotes from past presenting experiences.
June 1, 2020
An easy-to-read book, which provides logical, concise, and doable advice on presentations. Worth trying in school and work.
September 9, 2020
Nice pointers on business presenting skills... not super innovative though.
June 10, 2021
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December 19, 2022
A short and concise guide for improving your p presentations
January 20, 2024
dude, just use the oxford comma and don’t state the obvious like “don’t stand in front of the projector otherwise your audience won’t be able to see your presentation”
March 16, 2024
Recommended by someone at work. Playbook for preparing and presenting. Nothing revolutionary but a good, comprehensive delivery.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews