Think on Your Feet: The Art of Thinking and Speaking Under Pressure (Spectrum Book)

The reason I got this book was illustrated in the first sentence. All of us have been called upon, on a moment's notice, to speak on a topic without preparation. I got much more than I expected. This book is one of those that will have to be read 2 times or more to fully digest the important topics. Expect to be challenged and maybe a little overwhelmed as the author delves deeply into what is going on in our "background thoughts". While there are a lot of abstract points, Wydro comes through with some very practical applications as he discusses the Slight Edge Technique, P.R.E.P., the Creative Process Technique, and an intriguing open-ended question exercise. I took lots of notes and found his stories and illustrations to be extremely helpful.

I normally do not take the time to review the books I read. But when I saw this book reprinted for sale, I felt obliged to inform peolpe who are searching to speak up in public, expressing themselves naturally and enjoying it in the process, to urge them to read this book.
At some point in my search to speak out well I found this book. I never since needed any book nor any class. I hope the same to you.
Benny HEINZE, physician and lawyer.

In a Monty Python parody of a children's TV show the host explains that, "To play a flute, you blow in one end and run your fingers down the side." In essence, that actually is exactly how to play the flute. "Think On Your Feet" by Ken Wydro suffers a bit from this same tendency to oversimplify the complex and hope nobody notices.

That said, TOYF is a cut above most self-help books of its ilk which appear to have been written by unjustifiably overconfident shoe salesmen with a knack for bundling the obvious into bite-sized, easily-digested nuggets designed to appear more insightful than they actually are. TOYF is not immune, it too is replete with such twaddle, my favorite is his oft-repeated, "Around every circle, a larger circle may be drawn." Equally stupid, and much cuter, is, "Life is for giving, forgiving yourself and others." Balancing this torrent of hackneyed tripe is a fair amount of actual content, much of which is very good.

His last chapter, in particular, offers a nice primer on the elements of effective communication. Wydro is also right on target in thinking that the key to effective presenting lies not in visual aids, rehearsed ad-libs, or meticulously crafted scripts, but in command of the material, passion for message, and desire to reach and benefit one's audience. He affirms that the secret to being a great communicator lies within an individual's personality. All true. But this is where the big cheat comes in.

Wydro has assembled a handful of shortcuts like his "background thought" technique and "write your own book" tactic. Though not without merit, these are quick fixes. Wydro's reasoning is sound and his sources are good, his insights into character and personal growth are lifted directly from Freudian analysis and the mechanics of 12-step recovery programs. However, the kind of personality changes produced by both these sources require years of fearless dedication and hard work. Wydro, like other self-help shoe salesmen, would have you believe you can bypass this work with a few parlor tricks. Caveat emptor. If you take the easy way, you might get kicked in the head.

Ken Wydro's "Think On Your Feet" will not only transform your speaking and conversation skills, but it will transform the way you think. Many public speaking help books will fill your mind with mechanical tips that everyone, I assume, should already be aware of...i.e., "put inflection into your voice to emphasize your point..." Duh!

Wydro takes a much more top-down, holistic approach to speaking which emphasizes the attainment of an inner stillness (i.e. states of relaxation / self-confidence) as the REAL first step in successful speaking. He not only emphasizes this but gives practical, no-nonsense advice on turning this "inner stillness" into a reality. In this way, Wydro's book is AWESOME, and succeeds where other books fall short.

While many books in this genre will mechanicize your speaking thought process, and, sadly, turn you into an even more self-conscious speaker, Wydro's techniques teach much more: that is, to speak naturally, spontaneously, and freely...

I first read this book years ago when I began speaking at a Toastmasters group. At first, it helped me with my impromptu speaking. Later, it helped me to begin making small improvements in my daily actions (the slight edge technique). I was very disappointed it was out of print at the time and I couldn't buy a copy for my own library. Recently, a fellow Toastmaster member found it...and bought a copy for me. I was so grateful -- this is a book to read again and again.

I recommend it to all my clients...Deceptively valuable.