On Getting to the Point

Here’s a mantra: speak clearly, write well, and be polite. So why do so many people forget those things the minute they arrive at work? This collection of short essays is a reminder of how things should be, how we need to present well if we want to get a point across, how we need to get to the point in e-mail and memos, and how we can be both pointed and polite when it comes to business etiquette. If you’ve ever wondered . . . • Why most PowerPoint slides suck and how to fix them • How to get to the point when speaking and writing • Why ALL-CAPS E-MAILs are a no-no • Why some politicians get communications and some don’t • How to avoid “the blob” when presenting This book is for you.

Here’s a mantra: speak clearly, write well, and be polite. So why do so many people forget those things the minute they arrive at work? This collection of short essays is a reminder of how things should be, how we need to present well if we want to get a point across, how we need to get to the point in e-mail and memos, and how we can be both pointed and polite when it comes to business etiquette. If you’ve ever wondered . . . • Why most PowerPoint slides suck and how to fix them • How to get to the point when speaking and writing • Why ALL-CAPS E-MAILs are a no-no • Why some politicians get communications and some don’t • How to avoid “the blob” when presenting This book is for you. Dave Yewman is a strategic communications expert with more than fifteen years’ experience. He’s coached CEOs at hundreds of companies but is no fan of lengthy bios that sound self-important. Most of the essays in this book came from his personal experiences with bad communications and his tendency to rant about those experiences.

DAVE YEWMAN A friend of Dave's 11-year-old son Aaron asked, “What does your Dad do?” Aaron thought for a minute, then said, “He teaches people how not to say 'um.'” That's a pretty good elevator speech for a presentation coach. Dave likes to think there's a bit more to presentation coaching than that—but it's a great place to start. In the past 10+ years Dave's coached CEOs, professional athletes, tech startup founders, engineers, creative designers, and pretty much everyone in between. Dave Yewman is a strategic communications expert with more than 15 years of experience. A former newspaper reporter and columnist, he speaks regularly to about how to use clear, concise, compelling language as a strategic weapon when dealing with reporters, employees, sales prospects, shareholders, and consumers. Dave lives near Portland, Oregon.