Peak Performance Presentations
How to Present with Passion and Purpose: Lessons for Business from the World of Theatre
by Richard Olivier and Nicholas Janni
"This book is based on two basic beliefs. The first is that all presentation is performance. The second is that if you are not operating in or near 'peak performance' you are not delivering what you are capable of. We hope you will come to agree with our first belief. If you follow the suggestions and techniques in the book you will be able to experience the second for yourself."
Presentations are a key part of business life. They do not simply impart information, but critically affect how much people trust you, and how far and with what degree of commitment they will follow you. Yet most of us fail to achieve our presentation potential, whether speaking to 5, 50 or 500 people. We may say the right words but fail to deliver the message, we may use the latest gizmos but fail to make a mark.
Drawing on their first-hand experience of working with actors (and business people), Olivier and Janni offer unique insights into how to present with clarity, passion and presence, whether on the stage of a theatre or a conference hall, whether in the rehearsal room or in the board room. With practical exercises and activities, plus real-life case studies and anecdotes, this compelling book shows how you too can enter the zone of 'peak performance', a place where you can present with calm authority and connect effortlessly with your audience.
About the Authors:
Richard Olivier is Director of Olivier Mythodrama Associates. A theatre director for 15 years, Richard works internationally as a consultant, conference speaker and workshop leader. He is the author of the bestselling Inspirational Leadership: Henry V and the Muse of Fire (also published by Spiro Press).
Nicholas Janni is a Visiting Fellow at the Praxis Centre of the Cranfield School of Management, and leads management and personal development programmes internationally. Previously a teacher of peak performance to theatre actors, his business clients include Swiss Re (Zurich), Panasonic, the NHS and the BBC.
