What Can Chief Executives Learn From Stand-Up Comedians?

Praise:
Shareholders' meeting or first night audience? Roger Edward Jones identifies techniques to make an instant impact when the spotlight falls on your business.
Richard Donkin, Financial Times Columnist, author of Blood, Sweat and Tears, The Evolution of Work

A book that will only take you a short time to read and will pay dividends throughout your career.
Dean Frew, President and CEO, Xterprise

A highly creative approach to leadership development. A must read book for any aspiring CEO.
President and CEO
Amitive Inc

RRP £7.99  $US10.99

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Watch Roger talking about his latest book: What Can Chief Executives Learn From Stand-up Comedians?

New Business Book Offers Leadership Lessons from Comedians
What Can Chief Executives Learn From Stand-Up Comedians? by Roger Edward Jones finds boardroom lessons in comedy club challenges

   What Can Chief Executives Learn From Stand-Up Comedians? provides inspiration for CEOs from an unlikely source: the world of live comedy. The result is an unconventional take on what makes individuals effective when interacting with peers, staff, investors and stakeholders.

   “Stand-up comedians are excellent communicators and I have often wondered what skills and techniques they use to successfully deliver their routines,” Jones says. “So I watched hours of videos and attended comedy clubs large and small. Then to put it all to the test I wrote and delivered a stand-up comedy routine at a comedy club in London. The experience helped me realise that chief executives (and indeed all of us in business) can learn a lot from stand-up comedy performers.”

  The book was the runner-up winner at the 2009 San Francisco Book Festival (business category).

  Featuring 50 original lessons from the world of stand-up comedy, the book seeks to address key topics including preparation, brevity, originality and timing. With stand-up comedy proving even more popular in the current recession, Roger hopes readers will find connections between comedy and executive business leadership as they consider the challenges of exerting personal influence to engage an audience and demonstrate leadership.

The book is 64 pages long and written in a punchy style.

RRP £7.99  $US10.99

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Reviews from Amazon.om and Amazon.co.uk include:   

FIVE STARS - Just a snappy title? Absolutely not., 12 May 2009. By Mr Andy Hunter (Preston, Lancs)                                                                                                                                       When I first picked this book up, I thought it was another author trying to be clever with a snappy title, but I am pleased to say that having been through the whole thing on several occasions now, not only has it got a snappy title, but the contents make absolute sense!

My career-path has driven me into delivering many hundreds of presentations, to both small and large groups. Some I've been happy with, others not. Having read this book I know that it would have been a terrific reference point for pretty much any of the presentations I've made. Even if you don't use it as a full 'checklist', just dip into it before you 'go on'. It'll prompt you to better performance. If you do take all the author's messages on board, even better!

The author has obviously taken a lot of time to think about where we (not only CEOs but anyone who has to present) can improve, and related it to something that I, for one, hadn't thought about before.
Good stuff...  

FIVE STARS - Not just for Chief Executives, 20 May 2009.  By J A Daniel (Surrey England) Although this book is aimed at Chief Executives I think it is useful to anyone who has to deliver presentations and wants to improve their performance. It is concise and easy to read, with each tip taking the form of a bullet point about how stand up comedians operate, followed by a question which prompts you to reflect on your own style. I would say the real value of this book comes from actually taking the time to consider the questions that Jones poses and deciding how you will incorporate the skills and techniques into your own communications. An excellent book!  

FIVE STARS - Is there a stand up comedian in us all?, 16 May 2009.  By Michael Fidler (Watford UK)   As a professional change manager I found this book hit all the right spots. Not only short and pithy, it really does show where you could do better by risking a little more. The lessons on story telling, keeping the message simple, preparing material and responding to the audience are so true. Definitely a book to keep with you and to dip into regularly, especially before the big "gig"! And now to work on my comedic timing...
Highly recommended.  

FIVE STARS - Small is beautiful, 15 May 2009. By Tim Heath. As powerful as the one minute manager series was.
Most points common sense but good to be reminded.
Have passed the book on to a colleague CEO who is a stand up comedienne.
Its a good role model to adopt.  

FIVE STARS - Bringing a touch of humanity to presentations, 8 May 2009.  By Alison Radevsky   A good, quick read which boils down to making presentations more human - bring out the spontaneity (but carefully rehearsed!),entertainment, accessibility and humour in those meetings. The perfect gift for a friend or colleague whose presentations need pepping up a bit (after you've read it yourself, of course.)
My favourite tip? 'Number 20 - Technology: "The only technology stand-up comedians use to deliver their routines is a microphone. They don't use fancy graphics and hundreds of PowerPoint slides." Could you deliver your next conference presentation without using PowerPoint slides?' What a relief it would be to so many of us if more presenters took this one on board! 

FiVE STARS - A Breath of Fresh Air, 13 May 2009. By J R Hughes “Richard” (Cheshire, UK) Easy to read and full of great ideas; a must for all young aspiring executives. Fifty ways to help you stand out from the crowd, keep it in the brief case and read it before all those important presentations.  

FIVE STARS - Thought-provoking, and succinct, 13 May 2009. By Angus Hones (UK)  The best ideas are clear and succinct. The author packs into 50 pages thought-provoking ideas for the engaged reader. Although the title is pitched at CEOs this is a great read for anyone who wants to improve their communication style.  

FIVE STARS - An excellent overview of how to become a more effective communicator, 13 May 2009. By R Gardiner.  Such a simple concept and yet so effective. The book acts as a simple guide for anybody, irrespective of seniority, who is interested in seriously enhancing their face to face communication skills. This really should be a compulsory read for anyone attaining a management / leadership role

FOUR STARS - Ideal Business Gift, 6 May 2009.  By MisseryGuts1 (Oxted, Surrey, UK).           Short, pithy, thought-provoking. Plenty of nuggets. An ideal small business gift for any executive or colleague. I've carried my copy with me since I took delivery of it.  

FIVE STARS - Short yet impactful, 13 May 2009.  By Mr Mark Rosling   This is a short book, very easy to read, yet intriguingly impactful. There are many books available on how to present effectively, yet this one brings it all down to earth in such a way that one can actually remember and use the tips and advice given. The comparison with standup comedians is both witty and insightful. An excellent small gift that is fun yet also highly practical.  

FOUR STARS - A powerful pocket book on how to communicate better, 7 May 2009.  By Charles Menzies-Wilson.   Don't expect this book to fit into the highly prescriptive genre of "how to" business books, because it doesn't. If you are looking for an ABC guide on how to present - or, indeed, how to be a chief executive - then you probably need to go and look elsewhere.

If, on the other hand, you are beyond the beginner presenter stage, are the sort of person who is looking for ways to communicate better at all levels, is stimulated by trying to improve yourself by learning from others in different fields, or enjoys taking good ideas and working out how to apply them then this may well work for you.

The book is extremely succinct (BIG print, 5 - 10 lines to the page, one bullet point and a couple of questions each page, 50 pages long). As such, it could be seen as a little simplistic (and indeed can be read in about 10 minutes), but the points that it raises really do draw out some thought provoking similarities between two of the toughest jobs in the world, and what business execs can learn from the stand-up performers on how to grab their audiences.

If I have a criticism, it rests around the succinctness. There is a missed opportunity to reference some of the ideas back to the performers that Roger Edward Jones has studied, and illustrating some of the points might have helped the reader relate better to the particular supreme skills of individual stars.

In summary then, there's some good stuff here, but you will have to work at it to make it work for you.  

FIVE STARS - Thought provoking presentation/leadership tips and techniques, 5 May 2009. K Hodnett(Winchester, UK).   "A short impactful read that offers succint strategies for performance success. A very useful guide for those who are climbing the corporate ladder as well as those who are already at the top and seek useful reminders on how to remain there!
As a business coach I will have no hesitation in recommending this book to my clients."  

FIVE STARS - compulsory reading, 4 May 2009 .  Professor Sharon Turner (Belfast, UK).  I would definitely recommend Jones' book on what Chief Execs can learn from stand-up comedians. Although I'm an experienced public speaker, this punchy book has made me reflect on my application of some of the basic skills, and has given me plenty of food for thought on how to develop them further. Jones combines a great mixture of common sense, good humour but also real wisdom on how to really communicate with an audience.  

FOUR STARS - Improve Your Communication & Leadership Skills, 3 May 2009.  By Heffin Harries (London)   An excellent 50 step guide on how to use the key skills of stand-up comedians to improve your communication and leadership skills in the workplace. Highly recommended. 

FIVE STARS - To be kept in your top drawer, 30 April 2009.  By John Roome (London, UK)       This should be a compulsory read for anyone in a management role. It is succinct, easy to read, and a powerful tool that should be kept as a handy reference guide for everyday use. Read and re-read. Be honest and score yourself against each of the questions and work on those that need attention. You will quickly increase your effectiveness that will leave others wondering what has made the difference.  

FIVE STARS - What can chief executives learn from stand-up comedians?, 29 April 2009  By Mr. Jason F. Butler (Suffolk)  The power of this book is its simple, succinct and highly implementable suggestions for being a more interesting and effective communicator in the leadership role. I read it straight through the first time in 30 mins and now I carry it with me everywhere I go, just in case I forget Roger Jones' wise words.

 FIVE STARS - Brilliant guide for how to present, 29 April 2009.  "sahar hashemi" (london)  Roger Jones is a fantastic coach on presentation skills and delivery. And in this book he summarises so succinctly powerful points to remember when you are presenting and communicating. Its simple and yet full of gems!  

FIVE STARS - What Can Chief Executives Learn From Stand-Up Comedians?, 27 April 2009. By Simon Keating (UK).   I thoroughly recommend Roger's book. Concise, poignant and relevant to business today, the parallels between the challenges facing these two communities are uncanny. Having often witnessed the ongoing energy a comedian derives from winning their audience over, chief executives and business leaders have much to gain from employing these key skills to ensure a following. This book comprehensively marries the two and gets you thinking about effective communication, adding new, thought-provoking ideas. I read it in half-an-hour but have since found myself regularly dipping in again, using the concepts immediately.

 FIVE STARS - CEOs as Comics, 26 April 2009.   By Jrd Holden "John Holden" (UK).   I would highly recommend this book to anyone in the business of presenting. Succinct, humorous, clear, it practices what it preaches with 50 tips, offering lessons learnt from observing the communication techniques used by succcessful comedians. For aspirants alike, people in business (and even would-be comedians), written by someone who evidently knows both worlds!  

FIVE STARS - STAND UP AND STAND OUT, 25 April 2009.  By John J. Johnson (London , UK)   For the busy executive, Roger's book 'nets out' key leadership and presentational tips together with some deceptively simple questions about your own performance and abilities. A book you can read on the plane or train in one hit but also one that you can return to repeatedly.  

FIVE STARS - entertaining and thoughtful, 24 April 2009.  By Melanie Carlebach   I really enjoyed reading Roger's book. It is thought provoking with some real nuggets of wisdom. It is valuable reading for anyone looking to improve their communication skills and leadership vision. I would thoroughly recommend it!

 FIVE STARS - Succinct but so valuable, 24 April 2009.  By Alan Gosschalk.  I witnessed Roger's first stand up performance. Someone so brave, who also happens to be a fantastic communicator, is worth listening to as this book proves. Less is often more and that's definitely the case with this insightful and humorous guide. Follow Roger's 50 tips and you're bound to make a better impression. This is not just a book for CEOs but is valuable for anyone making presentations, going for job interviews or simply wants to perform better. 

FIVE STARS - Let's go back to the basics, April 30, 2009  By I. Billet (Atlanta, GA, USA)   One could think this is too simple... but after you read this book, how many of us apply all of these principles consistently? Roger Edward Jones give us a very quick, entertaining analogy between comedian and executive skills... and if anyone think that it is easier to be a comedian than it is to be a chief executive... read the book!

FOUR STARS - Unaccustomed as I am..., April 13, 2009  By C J Beck (USA)  After he's taped the Tonight Show, its star, comic Jay Leno stays sharp by working in comedy clubs most nights. Here's a little known fact. Leno banks the income from the TV show and lives on his club circuit wampum. If bank CEOs had been as sharp as this funny man we wouldn't be in the mess we are. Edward Jones' WHAT CAN CHIEF EXECUTIVES LEARN FROM STAND-UP COMEDIANS? reveals some tools behind the comic's craft. No personalities and jokes here. Just fifty quick-fire one-liners focused on serious methods we can apply in the workplace. The book runs about the same time as a good stand-up routine but you're more likely to remember these one-liners. Less really is more with this pocket rocket.
-C. J. Beck
The author of the serious thrillers SIZZLE, and SPIKED, C.J. Beck's latest novel is the comic crime thriller SIXTEEN STORIES, NO PETS

FIVE STARS - Enhance your own style and develop your own script, March 7, 2009  By Colin Evans (Portlan, USA)   Every person in business has to be able to get across their message effectively and quickly - you only get one chance to make a first impression as they say. This book is a very useful guide to self-reflection on how you communicate; not a "how-to" manual with specific techniques that can grow stilted and which immediately come across as learned and fake, but a thought-provoker and idea-generator that will allow you to enhance your own style and develop your own script. Indispensable addition to your portable library.
Colin Evans - President CEO Dossia

 FIVE STARS - Excellent resource for presenters, February 9, 2009  By Douglas Owen (Santa Cruz, CA, USA)   This is a first class, pithy reference not only for CEO's, but for other would-be influential public speakers. Roger Edward Jones has done an excellent job of condensing the critical ingredients of a stand-up presentation to a pocket-sized and easy to read reference. Rather like a chef preparing a delicious reduction sauce for a great meal. You get it, quickly and succinctly.

As always, the value is in the practice. Which is easy, given that this book is written in a "bullet point" style, with a particular skill on each page. You can bookmark the ones you're working on, and don't have to wade through pages of verbiage to get the point. Refreshing! At 50 pages, and lightweight, it's a carry around. 

FIVE STARS - Better each time through..., February 8, 2009 By Roger Turnham (Dallas, TX)   This book is a great read for the busy executive. It immediately gets to the heart of the matter by taking the attributes of successful comedians and applying the principles to leadership. The beauty of the book is in its brevity and simplicity. Each of the 50 points are followed by a rhetorical question. To read this book once will give you a few chuckles with little gain. My recommendation, however, is to read it once for the general ideas, then go throught the book once again and grade yourself on each of the 50 attributes. Answer the questions and honestly grade yourself: "How am I doing with this?"

Third, go through those areas again where you rated poorly, focus on them and develop an action plan for what you will do in your next presentation / meeting / motivational talk with customers, peers or employees that is different than in the past. Bottom line: In about 25 minutes you can read this book. The power comes from the 3rd step above -- which can all be completed in about 2 hours.

Very effective use of humor and common sense.  

ISBN: 978-1-4196-9687-9

RRP £7.99  $US10.99

Order your copy from Amazon.com by clicking here.

Order your copy from Amazon.co.uk by clicking here.

Order your signed copy from this website (£6.49 + P&P, SAVING £1.50 on RRP) by clicking here: