Amanda Hennessey - Your Guide to Public Speaking: Build Your Confidence, Find Your Voice, and Inspire Your Audience

PRAISE FOR YOUR GUIDE TO PUBLIC SPEAKING

Your Guide to Public Speaking is a user-friendly book that introduces the core principles of public speaking in a way that anyone can pick up and implement. Drawing from real-world experience as a seasoned public speaking coach and actress, Amanda Hennessey does a superb job breaking down the art of good public speakingwhich to many can be seen as a daunting, multifaceted, and complex topicinto actionable steps packaged in a practical, witty guide. Inspiring!

Christie Lindor, TEDx speaker and author of the award-winning bestseller The MECE Muse: 100+ Selected Practices, Unwritten Rules, and Habits of Great Consultants

This book is nurturing, witty, and profoundly insightful. Amanda is that rare coach who offers a one-two punchshe is as smart as they come and writes straight from the heart. Her insider tips are not just essential to strong public speaking but to professional success!

Alexandra Sullivan, cofounder of 44 Communications

Amanda approaches the art of speaking from a very unique and refreshing perspectivethe deep root of why we speak and who we are as speakers. By focusing on our mission as speakers, on why we want to give the speech and the impact we will deliver to the audience, Amanda helps readers embrace speaking with love as the motivation. In her directyet fun and personablestyle, Amanda guides readers to access their inner strengths and deeper selves, which enables them to bring more emotion and power to their delivery. This book offers a lot of fun and practical exercises that are refreshing and effectiveno matter if you are just starting out or looking to reach higher goals in speaking.

Lei Wang, author, motivational speaker, and first Asian American to complete the Explorers Grand Slam (http://JourneywithLei.com)

Amanda is an authority on public speaking, and one of the most talented coaches Ive met. It is mind-blowing to see how she makes public speakingAmericas biggest phobianot only much simpler but also a true source of self-empowerment for anyone. In this book, you will learn highly effective, easy-to-remember techniques that will help you become an authentic and confident public speaker. A must-read for those who want to have a bigger impact by empowering themselves and others.

Will G. Foussier, CEO and founder of Ace-up, Inc.

Your Guide to Public Speaking is a practical resource for new and experienced presenters alike. Amanda Hennessey walks the reader through every detailfrom what to talk about, to how to harness nervous energy, to what to do with your hands during the presentation. The fundamental shift of focus from the presenter to the audience is the real game-changer. It reminded me that presentations are really all about making a connection with the people in the room.

Maura Herson, assistant dean of MIT Sloan School MBA Program

I am so happy the world finally gets to share in Amandas extremely practical, user-friendly, and unique approach to preparing for public speaking. She has a true gift of understanding people and helping them open up and find their authentic selves, and she conveys this in a kind and supportive manner. As a dog trainer who teaches group classes and has periodic media appearances and interviews, I refer to this manual as an invaluable reminder to stay focused and on track with my training message. Its a must-have book for all!

Kate Perry of Kate Perry Dog Training, named New Yorks Best Dog Trainer by New York magazine

Like a great play, a great speech is based in storytelling. Amandas background in the theater endows this book with personal and emotional insights that move it beyond an old-fashioned public speaking text into a fresh, creative approach for our technology-driven time. She offers clear, easy-to-use techniques to empower the speaker and awaken passion, authenticity, and the value of being fully present. All of this good advice is presented with a sensitivity to the natural fears and perceptual obstacles that even the best speakers confront. By directly addressing the physical, vocal, and mental dimensions of public speaking, she provides a detailed, practical, and inspirational guide that is sure to transform your presentation and engage your audiencewhile also awakening your best self.

Scott Edmiston, Elliot Norton Awardwinning theater director, professor of the practice, Northeastern University

Much like that favorite teacher from childhood who seemed to have only one objective in mindto unconditionally share everything she knows with youAmanda Hennessey shares her knowledge about public speaking gained over the years. Your Guide to Public Speaking enables us to prepare ourselves mentally, emotionally, and content-wise, and provides us with an actual process of conveying that content to an audience in a format that is impactful. By being passionate, confident, and prepared, you will be able to take your audience on a journey where it learns deeply about something you know and care about.

Imac Maria Zambrana, associate professor, faculty of educational sciences, University of Oslo

This book is dedicated to those who have a positive message and dont know how to share it. And to those who have not yet found their voice.

Many of my clients describe their experience of public speaking like a horror movie: heart-racing dread, vivid nightmares, an intense desperation to escape, and a fear of being destroyed.

Yikes!

Believe it or not, the experience of preparing and presenting does not need to torment you as though you were a babysitter hearing creepy noises in the basement. It can be a swashbuckling adventure into the unknown, complete with a mission, discovery, passion, and rewards. Instead of heart-racing dread, you can have heart-racing excitement, along with epic storytelling; humor; total engagement of heart, body, and soul; and an urgent sense of purpose motivating you! Not only can it feel as if you are in an adventure movie, but the content of your speech can also be so much better. It can be powerful, memorable, and make an impact.

Everyone has to speak in front of an audience at some point, whether in a personal or professional capacity. The ability to capture and keep an audiences attention is a powerful skill, and it doesnt have to be one youre born with. Your Guide to Public Speaking will help you learn, practice, and improve, regardless of your current degree of competency.

No matter what you are asked to present (a proposal at work or a wedding toast) or whos asking you to speak (your boss or your best friend), you want to be able to engage the task with confidence and enthusiasm. If youve never received any kind of training on how to approach public speaking or how to dynamically share your message with an audience, youre not alone.

Ive been coaching and leading public speaking workshops for people from many different industries for more than a decade. I know how lost and overwhelmed many people feel. Ive also witnessed my clients evolve beautifully and grow their confidence, skills, and courage. In this book Ill share a variety of strategies and tools for establishing a positive mindset, using your voice effectively, and shaping the content of your speech thoughtfully.

Whether you struggle with mindset, metaphors, monotone, or what to do with your hands, this easy-to-read guide will set you on the path toward public speaking success. Presenting with excellence requires you to stay continually present in each moment. This book will outline how to cultivate the art of staying present, which leads to that magic ingredientpresence. You will learn how to own your talk and own the floor. Whether you are speaking at a large conference, in a small internal meeting, at a lecture hall, on a conference or video call, at a wedding hall, or on a podcast, you will understand how to command your arena while still going with the flow.