Be the Best Bad Presenter Ever – Break the Rules, Make Mistakes, and Win Them Over

Be the Best Bad Presenter Ever
160 Pages
ISBN 1626560471

Karen Hough doesn't want you to be "perfect." People fear public speaking because they worry about having to conform to all sorts of handed-down rules that tie them up in knots and put their audiences to sleep. It's authenticity and passion that win people over, she says, not "polish." But you can't be authentic if you're following guidelines that drain the life and personality out of your presentation. Hough debunks over a dozen myths about presenting to make it more fun and natural for everyone. She explains how practicing in front of a mirror makes you worse, why you should never end with questions, and much more. She includes true stories of people who not only were able to become great presenters by being "bad" but actually came to enjoy it! Like them, by following Karen Hough's wise and witty advice, you'll be able to tear up the old rules and embrace and develop your own style. You'll be freed to be a living, breathing, occasionally clumsy human being whose enthusiasm is powerful and infectious.

Karen Hough

About Karen Hough (Columbus, Ohio Author)

Karen Hough

Karen Hough is the Founder & CEO of ImprovEdge, and has been using improvisation as an engaging learning tool for over 12 years. She is the author of the Amazon #1 category Bestseller, The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work and the Yes! Deck, a handy deck of cards packed with exercises, tips and ideas. ImprovEdge received the silver Stevie International Award for “Most Innovative Company of the Year 2012” for Women in Business. Ms. Hough writes numerous articles for industry media, and has been featured in ASTD’s T&D magazine, Mashable.com and BusinessInsider.com. She is a national conference keynote speaker on topics such as executive presence and presentation skills, negotiation, and leadership.

She trained with Chicago's Second City and enjoyed a career in stage and film, performing in over 100 live and filmed productions. Her next life involved working as a successful executive in network engineering, and finally she became an entrepreneur. ImprovEdge has a presence in four cities nationwide and a client list including ESPN, NBCUniversal, Turner Broadcasting, Coach, Cardinal Health and Nationwide Insurance to name a few. She is a graduate of Yale University and La Sorbonne, Paris IV. Ms. Hough is a past board member of KeyBank's Key4Women National Advisory Board and WELD (Women for Economic Leadership and Development) and is a former board member of Yale's Whim 'n Rhythm Alumnae Association. She volunteers extensively with confidence-building workshops for children and a portion of ImprovEdge funds go every year to Computers for Youth, The Women's Fund and Kiva. Ms. Hough lives with her husband and three children in Ohio.