Converse with Charisma is an audiobook collection of business speakers and experts who each offer different suggestions for how to improve your speaking skills, networking, presentation and improvisational speaking styles.
My big takeaway from this, besides some very helpful hints, is that speaking and networking is a skill that can be learned. It’s not something that some people are just born with and others aren’t. That being said, it would certainly be a step out of my comfort zone to try some of these suggestions.
For example, one of the sections was a meditative visualization where you see yourself going to a networking event and successfully exchanging business cards with 25 contacts. I’m game for most any meditation, but in this middle of this one, my mind was screaming at me combinations of “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” and “NOOOOOOO”.
But then again, I’m a self-confessed introvert. I’m trying to step up my presentation game for filming an episode of my family’s YouTube channel and also taking a bigger part in marketing it. These are both skills I think I can master, but it’s scary to try new things, you know?
Anyway, back to Converse with Charisma.
My favorite section was Jim Rohn’s fun, motivational speech on the first disc. As I’ve expressed in a few other reviews, Rohn is a master storyteller and life coach. He lifts you up, empowers you, makes you believe in life-long learning and goal setting. I think this collection may be worth borrowing from the library just to hear his contribution.
As for new material, the presentation on disc 8 “Thinking on Your Feet” contained a bunch of information I hadn’t heard before. It gives suggestions for soliciting questions from a crowd and leading programs. It also gave a formula for organizing speeches to make a higher impact. I think I’m going to have to listen to that part a couple times to get everything I can out of it.
Recommended for people looking to step up their speaking and presentation game… fellow introverts I’m looking at you.
Thanks for reading!
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