Presentation Skills That Will Take You to the Top (Collection), 2/e

6. It Ain’t What You Say, It’s How You Say It: Lessons in Structure from Jeffrey Toobin and Andrew Weil, M.D.

The first commandment in all communications is that the messenger is just as important as the message—or, in the vernacular, it ain’t what you say, it’s how you say it.

Jeffrey Toobin and Andrew Weil, M.D., are, by any standard, on the A-list of public speakers. Each man has what is known on the keynote speaking circuit as a solid platform. The term refers to a large installed base of loyal followers built by frequent access to and exposure in the media. Mr. Toobin, a legal political analyst for CNN, appears regularly on that cable channel; and Dr. Weil, a trusted health advisor (as his trademark reads), runs a vast online marketplace ...