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May 17, 2005

In the Line of Fire

Jerry Weissman is a phenomenon. A powerhouse. We owe Jerry a great deal – for teaching us just about everything we know about presenting, for inspiring us with some great concepts, and for being a big supporter of our efforts in writing our own book.

I recently had the distinct honor and delight of receiving an advance reader's copy of Jerry Weissman's newest book, In the Line of Fire : How to Handle Tough Questions...When It Counts. It's being published in July by Prentice Hall.

I enjoyed this book even more than his last (which is saying alot). This is a very focused, very hands on book. It is all about dealing with the heat, not of the prepared pitch but beyond it when you open yourself to questions. This is something all of us can use because life goes way beyond the Powerpoint slides. Here are a few highlights:

• Control the time – before starting with questions, set a time limit or an excuse to end the session after only a few questions
• Control the traffic – raise your own hand and ask for questions
• If you don’t know EVERYONE’s name in the audience, don’t call anyone by name
• Make the questioner feel like you heard them (or make the audience feel that way)
• Resist thinking of the answer while the questioner is talking – instead look for the key issue around which to formulate your MESSAGE
• Focus on that key word and sound clear and decisive in using it to deliver your MESSAGE as an answer
• Create a buffer between the question and your expression of the answer, keeping you in control and not on the defensive (boy he has a bunch of great techniques for doing this)
• He’s also got a very useful variation of Yes, But, So called “Buffer – Agree – But – Evidence – Call to Action” You have to check this out.

Can’t wait until the full book comes out. Congrats Jerry on a terrific accomplishment and on a truly terrific Rude Q&A/interview/Debate Taser to put on your communications utility belt.

Note, we are far from Jerry’s only fans in the blogsphere, here are a few other who sing his praises:

• Tina Ornstein found the wonders of WIFFY (what’s in it for you) in Jerry’s last book
• Watertank and Dennis Kennedy recommend Jerry’s as one of the two books you should read about making powerpoint presentations “Interestingly, neither is really about PowerPoint."
• Fast company highlighted Jerry’s great five rules for great presentations (which I love)
  

  Focus on what matters.
  Converse, don't perform.
  Plain talk is the best talk.
  Let me rephrase that!
  The pause that refreshes.

• Mike Clark has a great list of powerpoint resources, commentary etc. and of course highlights Jerry
• And Doc Searls highlights Jerry as “the presentation guru whose influence on the corporate selling skills of Silicon Valley CEOs should be valued in the billions of dollars, at the very least” in his own classic post “It's The Story, Stupid
  Don't Let Presentation Software Keep You From Getting Your Story Across” - also a must read:
  

  “Begin with the end
  Come from who you are
  Tell your story
  Write from an outline
  Talk from headlines, not headings
  Use graphics
  Use numbers for lists
  Research
  Make comparisons
  Stand and deliver”

What fun. Keep your eyes open and pre order his book!

Posted by johnza at May 17, 2005 06:18 AM

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Posted by: nivi at May 17, 2005 09:46 PM

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