Make Yourself Heard

Make Yourself Heard

by Monique Rissen-Harrisberg

(Zebra Press, R150)

Have you ever choked in front of an audience while giving a speech? This, with any sort of humiliation experienced in the past, may be holding you back from reaching your full potential as an orator or key player at work.

Rissen-Harrisberg is the founder of The Voice Clinic, a firm specialising in communication and voice training. Your voice accounts for 38 percent of what you communicate, while body language makes up 55 percent and the content of what you’re saying, seven percent.

Without paying special attention to these factors, you might find what you’re saying is not what is being portrayed at all.

As a matter of fact, if not in control of your voice, body language and content, you’re subconsciously exposing your mental and emotional state to the people you speak to.

When briefing a board of directors, pitching an idea to a potential client or giving a speech in front of a huge audience, the lack of communication skills could prove detrimental.

In this regard, the author comes to our rescue, armed with dress codes, public speaking techniques, emotional counselling, financial advice and more.

The book is essentially written for women, though its usefulness transcends gender. With that said, any woman who reads and applies its methods will gain renewed confidence and a bolder sense of purpose. It takes into account all that a modern woman might have to juggle: family, friends, work, marriage and personal growth.

The author does reiterate some ideas over and over again but, for a subject-orientated book, one can understand that the message has to be driven home.

A graduate of any field relating to the corporate world, advertising or human resources would do good to read this book.

It will be appreciated by men and could be the sidekick to many superwomen. – Tshepo Tshabalala