Key Quote:
“Great communicators are made, not born. Many of the world’s most inspiring speakers – from historical figures to today’s business leaders – have overcome anxiety, nerves, and stage fright. You can, too” (p. 214). — Carmine Gallo
Key Points and Concepts
Introduction
Todai Robot, an AI system built by Noriko Arai, scored better on competitive college entrance exams than 80% of high school students. Todai Robot’s success is built on an ability to retrieve facts faster with more accuracy. However, Noriko found that her AI failed to beat 20% of students “because they could think creatively and extrapolate meaning ‘beyond the bounds of a question’[…] She says the skills that give humans an edge are those that no robot or machine can currently replace: critical thinking, creativity, and communication’” (pp. 6-7).
Remarkable advances in tech, like Todai, are triggering what consulting firm, Towers Watson, calls a tectonic shift; a requirement of new business skills tailored to the twenty-first-century workforce (p. 8).
After analyzing 700+ occupations, Oxford researchers discovered automation will eliminate ‘47 percent’ of jobs done by humans today (p. 8).
Citing the Wall Street Journal, Gallo discusses how hard it is for employers to find applicants who communicate precisely, motivating fellow co-workers and how ‘[…] decades-long shifts in the economy have made [these skills] especially crucial now’ (p. 9).
Why Great Communicators Are Irreplaceable
“Ideas built the modern world and it’s the power of ideas that will build the world of tomorrow. But ideas in the absence of eloquence will fall on deaf ears” (p. 18).
Charlie Mars, who examined the rhetorical formula of JFK’s speech from 1961, claims it was Kennedy’s use of carefully crafted persuasive language that enticed the U.S. to put a man on the moon (p. 19).
A year later, a 16-year-old Eli Harari was inspired by a transcription of Kennedy’s moon speech to pursue physical sciences, which then led him to start SanDisk, a company whose flash memory products are found in almost all digital devices today and used to craft much of our current digital world (p. 20).
Gallo encourages readers that their ideas “deserve to live on” using a different quote from JFK: ‘A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on’ (p. 24).
Intel CEO Andy Grove, author of Only the Paranoid Survive, says “Your career is your business.
You are its CEO. Complacency, he said, breeds failure. As the CEO of your career, you must continually improve your skills, especially the art of communication” (p. 30).
Gallo discusses Grove’s perspective on how new directions in the workplace “can leave employees confused, dispirited, demoralized, ‘or just plain tired’” (p. 31). Grove believes a leader’s first task is to envision what they want for the company or department with clear and concise communication of that vision, which will help to motivate fellow employees during these changes.
While AI and automation allow the world to move faster, ideas allow the world to move forward. Gallo stresses Johan Norberg’s argument that “because a free press and the free flow of ideas make people aware of problems, [and] people are then free to implement ideas to solve them” (p. 34).
A published study from Harvard Business Report found “highly skilled workers command higher incomes because of three capabilities: ability to perform rote tasks quickly, their experience in evaluating data to determine a course of action, and their savviness in [communication], helping clients navigate the course” (p. 46).
“Elite military leaders have something extra – they can persuade subordinates that they’re capable of accomplishing 20 times more than they ever imagined” (p. 49).
Steve Job’s idea to make emotional connections directly with their clientele through brick-and-mortar stores began by asking “a more empowering question: ‘How do we enrich lives?’” leading to Apple being one of the most influential and successful brands on the planet (pp. 51-54).
CEO Toby Cosgrove of Cleveland Clinic raised hospital scores through practicing empathy with patients and workers, in turn raising profits. “Direct, clear, and empathetic communication is considered the key to bringing down costs and improving the quality of care. As it turns out, balancing technology with empathy […] is the secret to earning five-star ratings” (pp. 54-57).
Analysis of hotel reviews on Yelp that have five-star ratings show that “ratings were backed by positive emotions in Yelp reviews, emotions that lower ratings lacked” (pp. 58-59). Only one half of 1% make AAA’s Five Diamond award and Forbes Travel Guide’s list. “Service differentiates four-star from five-star hotels and stand-out service requires emotional resonance” (p. 59).
Who’s Earned Five Stars
“Neil deGrasse Tyson is a five-star communicator because he makes learning about the stars so much fun. […] Tyson’s gift is the ability to excite his audiences, unleashing their innate desire to explore a world beyond their own” (p. 65). Gallo explains that Tyson’s belief in reframing a person’s perspective opens minds to extraordinary ideas while keeping them humble.
Not surprising, since a speech was a catalyst to put a man on the moon, communication at NASA is everything. It’s easier to get into Harvard than it is to become an astronaut with NASA, where communication supersedes physical ability. “Since NASA is not allowed to advertise, the space agency has devised innovative methods to sell its story. […] [including] marketing, social media, public relations, video and graphic design, storytelling and persuasive public speaking” (p. 73).
“Bridging the world of AI and humanity is the mission of another health care startup co-founded by Dr. Rajaie Batniji, an entrepreneur who combines the fuzzy and the techie. […] [Where] simplified language would lead to better decisions and better health outcomes because misunderstanding basic terms carries such serious consequences”. Batniji has received $150 million in venture funding since Gallo interviewed her (pp. 82).
David Pakman, the first major investor in Dollar Shave Club was impressed with its founder Michael Dublin for his pulse on the market. “DSC’s social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) feature stories of actual customers, invite customers to give a constant stream of feedback, and encourage an ongoing relationship with the brand” (pp. 82-85).
According to a report from Dubai “Unquestionable entrepreneurs need to excel at persuasion – the ability to convince others to change the way they think, believe or behave – to recruit a team or get a buy-in from investors and stakeholders” (p. 91).
Gallo quotes Dr. David Deming of Harvard about the inflexible nature of computers and how ‘Humans understand when to change course and can flexibly adapt to changing, unpredictable circumstances. We have a diverse toolkit that can be applied differently to different problems. It is a great idea to be good at two things that rarely go together – like being a great coder and an excellent communicator’ (p. 109).
Prasad Setty, VP of People Analytics at Google, believes “that communicators need to ask themselves the following questions: What do you want your audience to know, what do you want them to feel, and what do you want them to do?” (p. 117).
Julia Rozovsky, lead of Google’s Project Aristotle, analyzed employees, teams, and attributes. “The researchers concluded that successful teams have the follow traits: psychological safety; clarity; and explanation of one’s impact of work” (p. 118).
“Successful leaders make people feel like winners” (p. 119).
Dr. David Feinberg is a successful leader who improved national healthcare standards during his time as chief executive at UCLA through his creation of CICARE. “The acronym is one of the most effective communication techniques ever devised to train employees to offer exceptional service to every patient (or customer) every time”. Described as Connect; Introduce; Communicate; Ask Permission and Anticipate; Respond; and, End with Excellence. (pp. 120-121).
David Rock, author of a highly regarded paper for Strategy+Business, argued that human brains are social organs and introduced the acronym SCARF “to explain how the ancient brain can help a leader build winning teams” (p. 123).
Status “Raise a person’s self-esteem and you’ll hit a bull’s-eye in human relation” (p. 124).
Certainty “The CME Group learned that change requires more communication than usual. Employees want to know what they’re expected to do and why they’re doing it. Presentations now take into consideration the emotional aspects of the message” (p. 126).
Autonomy “People want to feel as though they have control over their lives, and that extends to their work” (p. 126).
Relatedness “‘If you help people grow personally, they’re going to serve their customers better’ […] ‘Trust, respect, and integrity are everything in that relationship’” (p. 129).
Fairness “We all have a need to belong and when we feel as though our status in a group is being undermined, our brain reacts as though our bodies are experiencing physical pain” (p. 129).
The famous TED Talk stars all practice five presentation habits:
Replace bullet points with pictures (p. 134)
Make the audience laugh (pp. 134-136)
Share personal stories (pp. 136-138)
Make presentations easy to follow (pp. 138-140)
Promise your audience that they will learn something new (pp. 140-141).
How to Get from Good to Great
“Stories are the single best linguistic tool we have to persuade” and Phil Knight, founder of Nike, adds Aristotle’s Pathos “the act of persuading an audience by appealing to its emotions and stories are the most direct way we have for making the appeal. By remembering the stories of the past, Nike employees are inspired to build the future” (p. 147).
“Persuasion cannot occur in the absence of Pathos, an appeal to the audience’s emotion. Stories are the best linguistic tool we have to build Pathos because humans are wired for it” (p. 162).
Princeton’s Uri Hasson is using fMRI machines to scan brains while people are engaged in storytelling and listening to stories, while Drexel University is using fNIRS where “The researchers’ conclusion confirmed Hasson’s experiments – a listener’s brain mirrors a speaker’s brain when the speaker is telling a story about a real-life experience” (pp. 149-150).
Stories about personal experiences, real customers or clients, and about signature events in history of the company or brand are three story types that leaders should incorporate into conversations and presentations that are intended to move people into action.
“Humble origins make for good stories. If you’ve overcome adversity in your life, in your career, or in your business, it’s important to share that story because we are hardwired to love rags-to-riches stories […] to find meaning in hardship” (p. 152).
Phil Wall, founder of WeSeeHope, an organization that works with parentless children in Africa, feels ‘The heart of the human spirit is story and purposes’… ‘One of the greatest deficits in western society is a deficit of meaning. When people are captivated by a story and see themselves in your story, they are very giving and generous’” (pp. 153-154).
Professors David and Jennifer Aaker say a company signature story can be leveraged for inspiration in directions both internally and externally. An impactful signature story includes seven elements: (p.160).
It’s a story
It’s intriguing
It’s authentic
It includes details
It reveals a surprise
It introduces empathetic characters
It has conflict and tension
Gallo encourages readers to “Follow the classic three-act storytelling formula in your next pitch or presentation: set-up, conflict, and resolution” and to “Trigger a release of oxytocin in the brains of your listeners by telling stories with a dramatic arc that includes tensions, struggle, and a happy ending”. “It’s a formula as old as storytelling itself, and it works” (p. 174).
Readers are reminded that great presentations have a single theme or big idea whose key message (or Hollywood logline) can be delivered within the first 15 seconds of starting the presentation.
Just like JFK up until the last few hours of his historic speech, “Be selective about the words you use. If they don’t advance the story, remove them. Condense, simplify, and speak as briefly as possible. Have the courage to speak in grade-school language” (p. 188).
Use of analogies and metaphors gives your language verbal beauty (p. 198).
“A person cannot will an original idea into existence. It must be allowed to appear by creating the ideal conditions for epiphanies” which can be created by studying, researching, and surrounding oneself with information from a variety of fields and industries. Surrounded with stimulating music or being in a creative place before creating your presentation will also inspire (p. 209).
“Great communicators are made, not born. Many of the world’s most inspiring speakers – from historical figures to today’s business leaders – have overcome anxiety, nerves, and stage fright. You can, too” (p. 214).
Neuroscientists identify reappraisal (reframing a more positive view of yourself) and repetition (practice), as two techniques to help you shine (p. 214).
Gallo insists we remember all the work put towards becoming a great, five-star communicator will “be worth it when you make a mark in your career and leave a mark on this world” (pp. 218-219).
Gallo, C. (2018). Five Stars: The Communication Secrets to Get from Good to Great. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.
“Neil deGrasse Tyson is a five-star communicator because he makes learning about the stars so much fun. Tyson’s gift is the ability to excite his audiences, unleashing their innate desire to explore a world beyond their own.” Gallo explains that Tyson’s belief in reframing a person’s perspective opens minds to extraordinary ideas while keeping them humble.
“Stories are the single best linguistic tool we have to persuade” and Phil Knight, founder of Nike, adds Aristotle’s Pathos “the act of persuading an audience by appealing to its emotions and stories are the most direct way we have for making the appeal. By remembering the stories of the past, Nike employees are inspired to build the future.”
“A person cannot will an original idea into existence. It must be allowed to appear by creating the ideal conditions for epiphanies” which can be created by studying, researching, and surrounding oneself with information from a variety of fields and industries. Surrounded with stimulating music or being in a creative place before creating your presentation will also inspire.