Preface

The Truth About This Book

Wow, what a humbling challenge.

When I started working on The Truth About Getting Your Point Across with Prentice Hall, I did some serious soul-searching about how to approach the book to best relate to you, the busy reader who wants to get some good, practical advice quickly and then move on to the next item on your to-do list. I realized that, for this book to be most useful, it needed to be something you didn't just read once and then put on a shelf to forever gather dust. It needed to be something that was easy for you to pick up, get a few quick nuggets, and then apply them immediately. Because I wanted it to be personal, I've exposed my own failures (and a couple of successes) to help you avoid many of the perils and pitfalls I have encountered throughout my career. To that end, each of the truths in this book is written with the following in mind:

• The truths are experience-based. I've made tons of mistakes in over 20 years of attempting to get my point across in a myriad of situations. The stories, explanations, and advice you'll read are in large part based on things I have done wrong during my career. I've been whacked across the head with a 2-by-4 plenty of times when it comes to getting my point across and have learned many lessons the hard way. My sincere hope is that you will be able to avoid many of the mistakes I've made, and this will help you get your point across more effectively.
• The truths are situational. I wanted to engineer a book that would be easy for you to read through once and then quickly refer to again and again depending on your particular situation, whether you are running a brainstorming session, developing a direction statement, or working with colleagues from another culture.
• The truths are stand-alone. I designed each truth so that it could stand on its own. This permits you to do more in-the-moment learning by quickly reading a truth, getting some practical advice, and then getting back to delivering results for your organization. Consequently, you may see advice duplicated in more than one truth. I thought it was important to paint a holistic picture in each truth to help you, the busy reader, be more effective.
• The truths are practical. Simply put, these truths work. Nothing fancy or heady—just direct and practical advice. Some truths buck conventional wisdom, and others reinforce things you may already know. I have learned (again, by doing things the wrong way) that many times we know the right thing to do, but we don't always do the right thing. If you start reading a truth and think, "Yeah, I know this," honestly say to yourself, "I know this, but do I do it?" Knowing something is great, but doing what you know delivers results.

You're busy, and I'm honored that you chose to take time out of your busy life to read what I have to say. I realize I owe you a rich and fulfilling experience that will help you get your point across more effectively in day-to-day situations. My sincere hope is that I have in some way helped you and have contributed to your success in whatever you do. Please feel free to e-mail me at [email protected] and let me know what you think about The Truth About Getting Your Point Across.

To your effectiveness…

—Lonnie Pacelli