Pond Life

Pond Life is a straightforward, no-nonsense guide to improving the way you communicate and interact with other people. Inside you will find a totally original approach to solving many of the most frequently made communication gaffs and blunders. Pond Life will help you boost your confidence and show you how to present yourself in a way you never thought possible. Why Pond Life? Because every time you communicate, you start a ripple effect. Too often we sell ourselves short because we worry about being caught ‘on the hop’, let opportunities slip through our fingers or just plain send out the wrong signals. So come on in, the water’s warm… Discover your personal style Pick up lots of ideas guaranteed to enhance your day-to-day communication skills Stop your audience mentally ‘hopping away’ Discover the power of passion in influencing people around you Dip a toe and give your communication skills a splash of magic. Pond Life will help you to impress your colleagues and friends with simple, easy-to-learn and amusing lessons that you can use again and again to create that all-important ripple effect.

About the Author vii Acknowledgements xi Introduction: Creating the Ripple Effect xv Why Pond Life? xxix 1 Ponds, Streams and Muddy Water 1 2 How Are You Unique? 13 3 Why Being Yourself is Key 23 4 The ‘What Ifs ’ 31 5 Prepare Well – Feel Good! 37 6 Deciding What You Are Going To Say 47 7 How Are You Going To Say It? 65 8 Going For It 79 9 Making an Impact 87 10 Losing the Distractions 93 11 The Obstacles 105 12 Continual Improvement 113 13 The Joy of Powerful Communication 125 The Pond Life D.I.Y. Map 129 The Future 131 In Search of New Ponds 135 Index 139