Chapter Two

Getting started

This book is about speaking: communicating your ideas, thoughts and feelings to others present, in words. But what do we mean by ‘communicating’? This chapter introduces the idea that speaking so people listen is just a start – you also want them to understand, agree, remember and act. So what gets in the way of all of this? I will also introduce the idea of mental filters that transform what you say into what people hear.

Levels of speaking

My aim in this book is to help you find ways to speak more effectively. Speaking so people listen is, for me, just the first step. As you read through this book, I want you to learn how to speak in ways that are compelling, persuasive and powerful. These three concepts ...

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