Speak Up! A Woman's Guide to Presenting Like a Pro (Book Review)

We all speak professionally every day. We may not be professional speakers and speak in front of large groups. But everyday we present proposals or ideas to our supervisors, our customers, our employees, our peers, and sometimes to top management. This may be formal proposals or simply sharing ideas at meetings. And sometimes we are called upon to introduce speakers at meetings, talk about a co-worker who has retired or passed away, or in other ways speak for a few moments to a large group.

Speak Up! A Woman's Guide to Presenting Like a Pro, by Cyndi Maxey and Kevin E. O'Connor, is not just for those who speak professionally. Although it has great suggestions for improving speaking skills to large groups, it also has fantastic information for everyday business and even social use.

The book is divided into five parts:

• Present to Impress
• Adapt with Professionalism
• Influence with Impact
• Lead on Your Feet
• Create a Lasting Impression

Each section has short topics and within each topic is a wealth of ideas and suggestions for improving presentations skills. As the name of the book implies, it is written for women and addresses many of the challenges women face in presenting, not only to men, but also to other women.

Since image is important, I highly recommend this book to any woman who wants to grow her career. It will help in creating a more professional image every day.