Instructors and students understand that fear of public speaking is one of the biggest challenges in the introductory course. And that’s where Speak with Courage comes in. Author and master teacher Martin McDermott has helped over 3,000 students overcome their fears and rise above speech anxiety by applying the right techniques. Speak with Courage offers 50+ diverse strategies—class-tested, rhetorical, practical, and fun—that help students at every stage of the speechmaking process, from getting started and choosing a topic to delivering the presentation and learning from the experience. Helpful and effective, this well-written and appealing text is the tool you need to get your students up and speaking—with confidence. Speak with Courage is also available as an inexpensive e-book, a great add on to any course with a public speaking component.

"Speak with Courage" is a unique insider's guide to the art of confident public speaking. Written by a speech professor who has helped thousands of students as well as many accomplished professionals, the book distills seventeen years of field-tested ideas into fifty user-friendly strategies for handling stage fright and other key communication issues. Written in an engaging, easy-to-grasp style, the brief-on-target chapters will leave readers feeling both self-assured and excited about the important task of presenting in public.

An inspirational, practical, and research-based guide for standing up and speaking out skillfully at work. Have you ever wanted to disagree with your boss? Speak up about your company's lack of diversity or unequal pay practices? Make a tough decision you knew would be unpopular? We all have opportunities to be courageous at work. But since courage requires risk—to our reputations, our social standing, and, in some cases, our jobs—we often fail to act, which leaves us feeling powerless and regretful for not doing what we know is right. There's a better way to handle these crucial moments—and Choosing Courage provides the moral imperative and research-based tactics to help you become more competently courageous at work. Doing for courage what Angela Duckworth has done for grit and Brene Brown for vulnerability, Jim Detert, the world's foremost expert on workplace courage, explains that courage isn't a character trait that only a few possess; it's a virtue developed through practice. And with the right attitude and approach, you can learn to hone it like any other skill and incorporate it into your everyday life. Full of stories of ordinary people who've acted courageously, Choosing Courage will give you a fresh perspective on the power of voicing your authentic ideas and opinions. Whether you’re looking to make a mark, stay true to your values, act with more integrity, or simply grow as a professional, this is the guide you need to achieve greater impact at work.

Sunnys Story brings to light one of the most critical issues facing children, parents and educators today. Parents are challenged with discussing the dangers of alcohol and other drugs with their children. Having the courage to face hard issues is the first step in keeping children safe. Through the voice of the family dog, and in a tender and thoughtful way, Sunnys Story is an effective tool to approach this topic. This story opens a dialogue between parents and their children. It teaches parents about what children are exposed to everyday. Children will obtain a clear understanding of how their choices affect their life and the lives of those close to them.

The Wall Street Journal bestselling author of 18 Minutes unlocks the secrets of highly successful leaders and pinpoints the missing ingredient that makes all the difference You have the opportunity to lead: to show up with confidence, connected to others, and committed to a purpose in a way that inspires others to follow. Maybe it’s in your workplace, or in your relationships, or simply in your own life. But great leadership—leadership that aligns teams, inspires action, and achieves results—is hard. And what makes it hard isn’t theoretical, it’s practical. It’s not about knowing what to say or do. It’s about whether you’re willing to experience the discomfort, risk, and uncertainty of saying or doing it. In other words, the most critical challenge of leadership is emotional courage. If you are willing to feel everything, you can do anything. Leading with Emotional Courage, based on the author’s popular blogs for Harvard Business Review, provides practical, real-world advice for building your emotional courage muscle. Each short, easy to read chapter details a distinct step in this emotional “workout,” giving you grounded advice for handling the difficult situations without sacrificing professional ground. By building the courage to say the necessary but difficult things, you become a stronger leader and leave the “should’ves” behind. Theoretically, leadership is straightforward, but how many people actually lead? The gap between theory and practice is huge. Emotional courage is what bridges that gap. It’s what sets great leaders apart from the rest. It gets results. It cuts through the distractions, the noise, and the politics to solve problems and get things done. This book is packed with actionable steps you can take to start building these skills now. Have the courage to speak up when others remain silent Be stable and grounded in the face of uncertainty Respond productively to opposition without getting distracted Weather others’ anger without shutting down or getting defensive Leading with Emotional Courage coaches you to build your emotional courage, exercise it effectively, and create an environment in which people around you take accountability to get hard things done.

Stop Underestimating Yourself. You are capable of far more than you know. The most successful women are often not the most talented, the most gifted, or even the most experienced. What these women have is a knack for communicating that opens doors and gives them influence. Gleaning from powerful research, bestselling author and life strategist Valorie Burton unearths practical insights you can put to work in your life immediately. Scientific studies are proving what the ancient wisdom of Scripture has shown all along: The power of life and death lies in the very words you speak. Let Valorie teach you how to... recognize the nuances in speech that can mean the difference between success and failure increase your influence by changing what you think and say in critical moments speak accurately about yourself so you don't sabotage your most meaningful goals boost your confidence by making simple tweaks to your everyday speech Your words are powerful tools. It's time to use them to build the life you really want.

From a veteran Fortune 500 executive, how women can reach and succeed in top leadership positions Though women hold a majority of the managerial and professional jobs in the workforce, they occupy a mere 14% of C-suite positions at Fortune 500 firms. To break through this stubborn glass ceiling, women must learn to take bold steps when career-defining moments arise. During her 33-year career at Southern Company, a Fortune 500 utility company, Becky Blalock rose to become CIO in a traditionally male industry. Now she offers her own hard-won advice, as well as that of 28 top female executives, to show all aspiring women how to dare to reach the highest tier of leadership and C-suite positions. Includes advice and mentoring lessons from top women business leaders such as: Anna Maria Chávez, CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA; Kat Cole, President of Cinnabon; Carol Tomé, CFO of Home Depot; Dr. Beverly Tatum, president of Spelman College, and Jeanette Horan, CIO of IBM, among many others Features straightforward, honest advice on gaining confidence, speaking up, finding mentors, learning to fail, building a network of allies, managing others, and more Written by pioneering business leader Becky Blalock, with a Foreword by Anne Mulcahy, former chairperson and CEO of Xerox Corporation Dare is must-needed guide for women everywhere, at every level, striving to develop the character, skills, and relationships that deliver greater success in the workplace.