About the Author - Asha Kaul is Associate Professor, Communications Area, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. She has previously been a communications consultant to several public and private sector organizations. Dr Kaul has designed and developed workshops on training material in communication and presentation skills for various corporate houses in India. She has earlier on authored two books - Business Communication and Effective Business Communication.

Book Review

All of us at some time or the other have been asked to make presentations. And almost all of us have experienced a rather uncanny feeling after having gone through the ardous process of researching, writing and then finally presenting. The obvious thoughts- did I communicate my thoughts successfully? Could I have done better?
How can I make my presentations more effective?

Designed to respond to the growing needs of professional and those in academia, the book is a comprehensive guide to make effective presentations. Written in a clear and accessible style, Kaul provides a very friendly approach to a process that is often a nerve-wracking task for many.

With a multi-level step-by-step approach the book explains us how to plan a presentation across disciplines, the delivery along with visual aids design and aesthetics, with helpful tips throughout. Over the chapters, the author gives us various points for planning a better presentation - How do you go about collating and then the sequential logical arrangement for maximum impact.

Before getting on the actual research, the author suggests an audience analysis first which gives one the size of the audience, their level of understanding and knowledge base. The presentation styles should not just be informative but even persuasive.

Strategies to avoid common pitfalls. Apart from this, the author gives tips on how to use our body language effectively, adopting positive gestures, bonding with the audience

In all, the author feels it all boils down to communication skills which are so important to climb up the corporate ladder. Talking or presenting is one sure way of scaling great heights. So, the guru mantra is honing your communication skills which will help in better understanding. The book offers a scientific and objective understanding of the skill helps in acquiring, polishing and honing already existing capabilities.

The book is essential reading for anyone interested in making the most of their presentations. Highly practical, and with illustrative examples, it will be invaluable to professionals in the corporate world, as well as to scholars and students.