What I've learnt from The well-spoken woman
First, I have to be honest, I didn't finish this book. Maybe because the book is packed with lots of very technique details of public speaking (which is a good thing if that's what you're looking for ) that makes it a bit dry, or the examples of the many American politicians do not connect with me since I don't know them and cannot build the visual image while reading. Hopefully this book is enjoyed by other members, and I've definitely learnt my lesson the hard way: DO BETTER RESEARCH for book selection.
That being said, even though this book is not an easy read to me, it definitely provides many practical guidance for all aspects of public speaking that helps to present a better personal image. Here are some highlights of my takeaways.
#1: The book helps me to understand the goal of being a well-spoken woman :
Ability to communicate effectively
The clear understanding of "who I am" to establish a unique signature style
"The irony of speech coaching is that it teaches you how to be you—on purpose and on command."
"The ability to be you while communicating effectively in front of any audience is fundamentally what it means to be a well-spoken woman."
#2: The 3Vs of communication
The author has introduced the concept of 3Vs: visual, vocal and verbal. Where verbal is the message itself, visual and vocal is for the presentation. To my surprise, data presented in the book has shown that visual and vocal plays a much bigger role in how well the speech is received by the audience than the message alone. I always only focus on polishing the content, and now I've learnt that is far from enough, as the presentation largely impact how effectively the content can be heard by the audience.
"Power Persona Trifecta Signature style—an engaging presence Synchronized message—relevant and purposeful Self-assured manner—ready to handle anything."
"Caring about how you look isn't about vanity but rather about awareness of the message you telegraph through appearance."
#3: A well-structured message should be simple and effective
"Less is always more, but less can take more time. Simple and short doesn't mean simplistic."
"If you talk about everything, your audience is likely to remember nothing."
"You can use an equation with three elements that summarizes the core components of a strategic message. First, there is a clear statement of a position on an issue or policy. Second, the position needs to be supported by values that are shared with the audience. Finally, the message must include an action step that specifies what the audience should do once they've heard the message."
In addition to my notes above, this book has extensive coverage on each topic, e.g. how to make an appropriate visual presentation, how to use the voice, how to connect with the audience and etc. It is really a good textbook for public speaking, that requires practicing beyond reading. I am not going to copy&paste all of those useful details here but recommend using it as a reference when prepping for a speech. Now that I'm here done with my review, I feel much better about the book and am thinking I should go back and finish it. :)
