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It’s often said that you can’t judge a book by its cover. Well, it turns out you can’t always judge a book by its title, either.

At first, I dismissed James Humes’ Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln, assuming it would be full of historical platitudes and anecdotal stories rather than actionable advice. Instead, I discovered a terrific reference tool for novice and seasoned presenters alike – including me.

Each of the 21 chapters in this surprisingly quick read offers solid advice for enhancing your presentation skills, using examples from some of history’s most powerfully memorable speakers. Author Humes knows his stuff – this author, professor and speechwriter for five American presidents is a noted authority on the speaking habits of Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Ronald Reagan, and others.

Focusing on what the author calls “21 Power Secrets”, Humes provides the tools to electrify discussions and persuade and capture any audience’s attention. Three of his secrets – Power Pause, Power Point, and Power Reading – are techniques that I’ve found over the course of my 25-year coaching career to be consistently challenging for even the most experienced presenter, yet critical to every high-stakes presentation.

Here are some of the author’s tips to integrate into your own preparation:

Power Pause
Most speakers begin by offering thanks and appreciation for the opportunity to speak. Don’t! Before saying a word, take the time to look directly into the eyes of your listeners. Greet them with a warm smile, then slowly deliver your opening sentence – knowing that every moment you wait strengthens the impact of your opening words. This power pause draws the undivided attention of your audience and leaves them better prepared to listen to your message.

Power Point
No, we’re not talking about slides! Hume’s power point is the bottom line key message you want to leave with your audience. If you want to be heard, understood and achieve results, you must first “stop, think and plan” your power point. As Humes suggests, determine what you want your audience to do and craft your presentation accordingly.

Power Reading
It’s one of the cardinal rules of effective speaking…never let words come out of your mouth while your eyes are looking down. Looking down disconnects you from the audience and means you are speaking at them, not to them. Mastering the skill of power reading means looking down to see the text, looking up – all the way up – and pausing, then conversationalizing the phrase you’ve just recorded in your mind. Although this technique may feel awkward at first, with practice it will become second nature.

Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln supported many of the proven tools in my coaching arsenal, and gave me some new tips for reinforcing them in the minds of my clients. Try some of James Humes’ 21 secrets and forge more powerful connections with your next audience!

People often associate gift giving with time, stress, and money, but this does not necessarily have to be the case. By using a little creativity and considering the needs, desires, and preferences of the recipient, finding the perfect personalised present can be simple.

The first thing to consider are the hobbies, interests, and activities of the person receiving the gift. What their favorite color is, what they like to do in their spare time, and what kinds of activities they participate in can all lead to gift ideas that, otherwise, might not be considered. The old adage “It’s not the gift that counts, it’s the thought” is only partially true. If the recipient likes to knit, but receives a golf club as a gift, although appreciated it will probably never be used which makes it less memorable.

Just by knowing what type of activity the participant likes best can lead to many options. This is because most pastimes require many accessories. Those who actively participate in favorite forms of entertainment regularly probably already have the needed items associated with that activity. However, frequently they fail to purchase the “luxury” items that can make it that much more fun. This can lead to great gift-giving ideas.

Most activities have luxury items and some of the best accessories can even be homemade. For instance, if you knit and are giving a gift to a golfer, knitting club covers with golf balls sewn onto the front that have funny faces can not only liven up a game, they can also become the talk of the course.

Although you may know of the interests of your friends and family, you may not be familiar enough with the activities to know what accessories would be most appropriate. By searching the Internet, everything you’ve ever wanted to know about any pastime can be easily found. In many cases shopping sites specialize in accessories and, once known, many can even be made by hand making the gift all that much more special.

For baby showers any gift can be personalized. Embroidering the baby’s name or initials onto quilts, blankets, shirts, or jackets can add an extra special touch. The same can be said for wedding gifts. Adding the wedding date and names of the young couple often serves as a trophy in the new home as well as serving as a great reminder of how special their big day was.

A personalised present is a great way to ensure recipients know how much you really care about them. By understanding the interests and preferences of those you are giving a gift to it is much easier, and much less stressful, to find the perfect gift. Better yet, for those who have skills in sewing, carpentry, or any other artistic areas, the joy of giving something homemade that didn’t break the bank often makes the effort well worthwhile.