I read a lot of books, especially books related to my passion for clear and concise communication at work. I also believe that the way to get the best value from books you love is to share them with other people. While I can’t lend all of you copies of my favourite books, I can share what they are. Perhaps you too will find them useful.
So, here are my top three books about clear and concise communication. There are others out there, but these three have been the most influential and applicable for me.
The best part is they are all short books — no fluff or filler here. Enjoy!
How to Get Your Point Across in 30 Seconds or Less
Author: Milo O. Frank
Released: 1991
Description: Learn how to get your listener’s attention, keep her interest, and make your point — all in thirty seconds!
Milo Frank, America‘s foremost business communications consultant, shows you how to focus your objectives, utilize the ‘hook’ technique, use the secrets of TV and advertising writers, tell terrific anecdotes that make your point, shine in meetings and Q&A sessions, and more! This book may be older but it is a little gem. It covers work, social, networking, and presenting. The methods are simple, described well, and there are lots of great examples.
Get to the Point! Sharpen Your Ideas and Make Your Words Matter
Author: Joel Schwartzberg
Released: September, 2017
Description: When you communicate you need to know the point you are trying to make. Do you know your point as well as you think you do? And do you communicate that point clearly through your message, presentation, or pitch?
This is a fantastic, award-winning book, with simple but effective methods that I am 100% sure will improve your communication skills. In Joel Schwartzberg’s 10+ years as a strategic communications trainer, the biggest obstacle he’s come across — one that connects directly to nervousness, stammering, rambling and epic fail — is that most speakers and writers don’t have a point. Instead, they have just a title, a theme, a topic, a notion or a catchphrase. This book shows you how to identify your most valuable point, sharpen it and sell it to turn your biggest fear into your greatest strength. Champion your most important ideas!
The First Minute
This list wouldn’t be complete without my own book. Is this a biased view? Yes. Do I care, nope. 😊
Author: Chris Fenning
Released: November, 2020
Description: This award-winning book is a step-by-step guide for clear, concise communication in everyday work conversations. Communication should be clear, concise, and should get to the point quickly. The problem is we don’t always know how to do this. What does it mean to be concise? How can a complex topic be summarized in just a few lines? Being concise is not about trying to condense all the information into 60 seconds. It is about having clear intent, talking about one topic at a time, and focusing on solutions instead of dwelling on problems. Throughout this book you’ll discover how to: have shorter, better work conversations and meetings; get to the point faster without rambling or going off on tangents; lead your audience toward the solution you need; apply one technique to almost every discussion, email, presentation and interview with great results.
- Buy in the UK
- Buy in the USA
- Or you can get this great offer. It is cheaper than Amazon, plus you’ll get £130 of free bonus content.
So there you have it. My top three books about clear and concise communication. I really do hope you look them up, grab a copy, and find out just how easy it is to have better, shorter, communication at work.
