Presentation Skills 201: How to Take It to the Next Level as a Confident, Engaging Presenter Paperback – April 11, 2016

Presentation Skills 201 is full of great tips and anecdotes about presentations. While I thought there could have been more detail or "how to" instruction in the book, it still leaves readers with many ways to improve their presentations. I give this book the highest rating because out of all the presentation books I have read, this one is the most practical. The author's experience comes through clearly, and the book does not get lost in any type of system or approach. It is simply a combination of useful tips with concise explanations.

This book is a great preparation for trainings that I will be doing for our department and for the presentations I will be giving in graduate school!!

We are revamping our visual presentation which was designed along the lines of the Steve Jobs outlines. This enhances that design and is very useful. Thanks.

Years ago, Maya Angelou observed, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I was again reminded of that wisdom as I began to read the Second Edition of Bill Steele’s book. From the Preface: “I need to stress that this book is NOT a step-by-step guide to creating and delivering presentations. I titled it Presentation Skills 201 because it assumes you know the fundamentals and you’re now looking for ways to enhance your skills. This book is a collection of the ways I would recommend you strongly consider.”Keep in mind that the term “presentation” refers to a variety of situations that range from a confidential discussion with one’s supervisor about compensation, a promotion, and/or career opportunities to a public presentation to an audience off several thousand people at a conference. Whatever the given subject or agenda may be, whatever the nature and extent of the given circumstances may be, Steele correctly stresses the importance of the same fundamentals. They comprise a seven-stage process and Steel devotes a separate chapter to each.1. PLANNING: Benjamin Franklin insisted, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Abraham Lincoln once said if he has six hours to chop down a tree, he would use four of those hours sharpening the axe. Plan what you will do and how you will do it…and be prepared to make adjustments and modifications.2. PREPARATION: Sun Tzu asserts in Art of War that every battle is won or lost before it is fought. Planning and Preparation are inseparable and interdependent. Michael Porter suggests that the essence of formulating a strategy is deciding what NOT to do. Similarly, as Steele makes crystal clear, it is imperative to plan and prepare a presentation that omits whatever is non-essential. “Brainstorm first, then organize,” “Don’t Prepare More Than Enough,” and “Answer the ’So What?’” are spot on.3. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE: Anders Ericsson coined the term “deliberate practice,” practice that is sharply focused, rigorously disciplined, and preferably under expert supervision. Rehearse until you reach a point at which you seem so natural that no one would ever guess that you rehearsed so thoroughly and so frequently. Like Sabatini’s Scaramouche, seem effortless.4. WORK WITH A TEAM: This is especially important if help is needed with research, fact checking, and use of multi-media equipment and resources. Discuss the details and issues of the given situation only with those who will offer candid as well as informed opinions. Steele and I agree with Ken Blanchard: “Feedback is the breakfast food of champions.” Just be certain that those from whom you request know what they are talking about and will pull no punches.5. DIMENSIONS OF DELIVERY: There is much to be said for looking and sounding “like a winner.” It is also true that even if you insert a large cow pie in a blue Tiffany box and tie a yellow ribbon around it, it’s still a cow pie. Keep in mind that about 70% of your impact during a face-to-face interaction will be determined by body language and tone of voice. Oscar Wilde advised, “Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.” Quite true but I presume to add, be your BEST self.6. PLATFORM: Re-read my comments for #5. In Chapter 6, Steele provides some of his most helpful advice. (So does Maya Angelou.) “Sound like you care” and you better care or the audience will see through artificial passion. Don’t overcook the “meal.” Let the content seem as natural as the presentation of it. Above all, relax. These moments are what you so carefully prepared for them. Appreciate them and your audience will, also.7. LANGUAGE USE: Probably because of the rapid emergence of the social media, people have been marinated in clichés and, in fact, the term “cliché” has itself become one. Steele fully realizes and understands this, of course. There challenge is to speak with afresh voice, using language that helps to tell a story (i.e. background, given situation, people, acquisitions and/or problems, developments, and resolution). Again, Steele’s advice is solid (e.g. “retire” your favorite words and phrases, eliminate unnecessary qualifiers, avoid or translate jargon) and my only suggestion re language use is to check out the “USAGE” section in Stanford K. Pritchard’s The Elements of Style: Updated and Annotated for Present-Day Use, 2nd Edition (2012). I also highly recommend an earlier edition, The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition (1999), co-authored by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White with the Introduction provided by Roger Angell (White’s stepson and himself a great writer).Bill Steele thoroughly explains how to complete each of these stages. He adds a Q&A section in Chapter 8 and then “Challenging Audiences” and “Virtual Presentations” in the next two chapters. I agree with him that almost anyone can — over time — become an exceptional presenter. As indicated earlier, I think the material in this book has a rather broad range of applications, from a private conversation involving two people to a formal presentation so several thousand.

I'm a pretty critical reader of business presentation books, but this book is worthy more of compliments than criticism. Here's why: If the entire book consisted of only the last two chapters, I would highly recommend it. Specifically, Mr. Steele's last two chapters -- one on Questions and Answers and one on Challenging Situations -- were filled with clever but diplomatic and thoughtful strategies, ways to be at your best "under fire," and examples with great wording to use. I've already used an armload of his techniques for tough situations and they work...and they weren't hard to do AND I didn't have to tie myself in knots to change myself to do them. At the end of one tough situation I handled using Mr. Steele's suggestion about refocusing what an "attacker" said, one exec in the audience shook my hand and told me he admired my style and diplomacy with a difficult customer. It's worth it to keep learning presentation skills up to a 201 level, because in my experience, work life is getting more and more challenging.

As a training and development professional I have to deliver many, many presentations and, like many trainers, I thought I had it all down pat. Well, this book made me realize that I had to more deeply dive into my technique. In the web era, live presentations face the challenge of audiences used to faster paced information insertion (and competition keeping the audience away from focusing on their smart phone). This book is unique in providing very specific, category by category, tactical information. I allows you to drive down into specific areas where you need to kick up your skills.Its easily access, well written and highly useful. I highly recommend it.

I read The his first book and thought it excellent as a guide to presenting that went beyond the usual: speak up, make eye contact and stand tall.So I was anxious to read Presentation Skills 201. This book addresses all the questions on how to be engaging and getting your message across in a way that speaks to your audience.I highly recommend this book if your presentations are good and It's time to make them excellent.

Tips, skills & wisdom for the successful communicator. If you are looking to sharpen your craft don't miss this enjoyable and comprehensive book on the topic of Presentation & Facilitation Skills. It is a winner! -Kevin J. Brown