«Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication»
Since presentations have become a larger (and more important) part of my professional life and given that they are now targeted at the highest level of my organization, I decided to re-evaluate my skills as well as my approach.
This book has proven to be exactly had I hoped for: a fresh change of perspective.
While it does not contain any new found wisdom, it certainly provides something equally important: simple ideas that make you better, more confident AND that stick to your mind. (Well for some presenters, it might even prove to be a new found wisdom, judging by the dozens of lousy presentations that I have attended in my career).
I should stress though that while simplicity is the core idea in this book, this does not mean that it is targeted to those looking for "quick & dirty" productivity tips.
On the contrary, I have found that I now devote more time in the preparation of a presentation. Because it is now clear to me that editing is the most demanding part of the process.
The book has helped me understand what is important to communicate and what is not.
How to extract the essence of complex ideas and present them in a simple, informative manner that engage the audience, not bore them to death.
If I had to write just a one line comment, this would be that it has made me regard each presentation as an enjoyable creative challenge and not as a mundane task.
It was certainly a joy to read and I really feel that I benefited, not only as a professional but also as a person, since most of us are also expected to convince, to educate and to inspire others, outside the realm of our professional lives.
One final note apart from the content but regarding the book itself: while I have always found Amazon's service to be uber professional and top notch, I was quite disappointed that this particular book arrived at less than perfect condition. Given that the packaging was almost bulletproof (and it contained two other books), this leads me to assume that the cosmetic damages were there prior to its dispatch.
[Monday, December 01, 2008]
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«Transforming my Presentations!»
I can't quite remember why I ordered this book--but I have been entranced by it! To match the simple beauty of this book, I should be posting an intriguing photo with a poignant quote. Hmm--perhaps it would be that line that goes something like: People will remember not what you made them think but how you made them feel. The picture might be a peaceful beach scene with someone sitting cross-legged with a slight buddha smile, feeling the warmth of the sun on her face. Well, all these words underline the message that getting your audience's attention with a sharp image and putting up as few words as possible is the way to transform presentations. I'm hard at work simplifying, eliminating as many bullet poings as possible, and transforming my presentations for maximum emotional content.
[Saturday, November 29, 2008]
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«JUST BUY IT NOW !!!»
This is a must. It is everything you're looking for in a book. It has beautiful insights, explanations, pictures...
For someone who wants to make a difference in his company, this is a MUST.
Above satisfaction guarantee ...
[Monday, November 24, 2008]
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