About the Author — Michael Port, the New York Times best-selling author of five books including Book Yourself Solid, has been featured on all the major TV networks and is one of the highest rated speakers working today. He runs a company of experts advising businesses on marketing, business development, and public speaking. Learn more at www.MichaelPort.com.

About the Book — So many times in our daily lives we’re called to perform. The saying “all the world’s a stage,” is overused, but that doesn’t make it less true. There are obvious situations that call for exceptional front-of-audience skills, like giving a presentation or lecture at work, making a sales pitch, swaying a jury, or leading a group exercise. Those who sign up for activities like these know what they’re getting into, and probably have some natural affinity for speaking in public. STEAL THE SHOW (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Oct. 2015) can help expound on those abilities to go even further. Bestselling author and top-rated keynote speaker Michael Port empowers an already good presentation and makes it a masterpiece.

But what about the not-so-obvious performances, like participating in a book club, communicating with family members, going on a job interview, or sharing a big idea? What about those who shy away from the slightest bit of public attention or confrontation? STEAL THE SHOW is especially for them. Port uses his experience as a former professional actor to share secrets from the stage to arm even the most introverted person with the tools needed to, as Port promises, “get a standing ovation every time.”

In STEAL THE SHOW, Michael offers many ways for improving the performances in life, including insight into the following:

• Using questions to establish motivation: What do I want? Why do I want it? What will happen if I don’t get it now? What can I do to get what I want? What must I overcome?
• Exploring the role you’ll take and the character you’ll develop.
• Using the techniques “As if…” and “Yes, and…”
• Harnessing the power of imagination: visualizing a successful performance.
• Creating and telling stories to gain control over any audience.
• Framing and organizing your big idea: problem/solution framework; numerical framework; chronological framework; modular framework; three-act structure.
• Being in the moment, practicing mindfulness.
• Discovering and then exercising your voice.
• Preparing, preparing, preparing, and practicing, practicing, practicing.

And Michael Port practice what he preaches. He’s charming, funny, evocative, and effective. There’s a reason he has been on almost every television network in the country—he was made for broadcast interviews. Here are just a few ideas Port has for an entertaining, informative segment:

#1: Speaking Makeovers (real-time coaching in front of camera): Port could coach an audience member (or pre-selected viewer) on how to tell a story.  Although the segment might be a bit longer than the typical one, there are ways it could be contained, especially if he were coaching them around something specific, such as how they introduce themselves, how they tell a story, how they pitch their idea, etc.

#2: What Not to Do When You're Speaking in Public: Port can give quick tips on mistakes to avoid.  With the presidential candidates gearing up for more debates, this is a timely topic. Variations on this could be: What Not to Do When You're Leading a Meeting; What Not to Do When You're Giving Sales Presentation; What Not to Do When You're Presenting to Colleagues (i.e. Board Room presentation)

#3. Learning from the Candidates: With all the potential presidential candidates in the news, quick clips of the upcoming debates could be shown, and Port could explain what makes certain politicians great speakers and others not so much. Then he could share how to apply these lessons to everyday presentations (smaller scale).

#4. Before and After: Two-part guest segment. In the first, Port is asked to coach someone from the audience (or pre-selected viewer) for an upcoming presentation. Their journey would be documented and then aired during the second show. 

#5. Exercise Lessons: Port could guide the hosts, audience members, and viewers in warm-ups, improv techniques, and other strategies to use before the big presentation.

Port could also turn any of those ideas into a written Q&A or original piece, and excerpts from the book are available.