Book of the Week – Words that Work

Your words carry power. It only takes a single sentence to draw people in – or to push them away entirely. Entrepreneurs and leaders need to prepare and find the right words for the right moment. Turn to “Words That Work: Communicate Your Purpose, Your Profits and Your Performance“. Val Wright, consultant, speaker and author, brings guidance, tools, scripts and other resources to help you rethink business communication. Learn how to speak with purpose.

What is your book about?

If you’ve ever wondered if you’re using the right words, now you can utilize the precise phrases the most successful leaders use in the most important conversations. For entrepreneurs, CEOs and leaders, the stakes can be extraordinary in every conversation. Millions or even billions of dollars are in jeopardy during board meetings, investor calls, media interviews, customer interactions and employee conversations. The most successful executives know this and prepare what to say and when to say it with precision. This thoughtful and intentional focus is required for leaders to drive profitable growth.

Words That Work helps readers benefit from the strategies, language and tools of leaders who know how to speak the right language at the right time. It calls on leaders to challenge the ‘usual’ business conversations. Using examples from Starbucks, Microsoft, Amazon and BMW, Val Wright turns a number of familiar communication approaches on their head. She shows the reader how to question, contest and change traditional language skillfully and persuasively.

Topics include:

1. How to create a truth-telling company
2. The art of giving feedback that actually changes something
3. Getting others to cooperate with you
4. Increasing your executive power circle of support
5. Putting customers at the heart of your company
6. Cultivating a powerful relationship with your board
7. Turning investor and media relationships to your advantage
8. Discovering moonshot ideas that can change your company
9. How to love your anger and other emotions
10. Creating your perfect executive launch into a new role

Why should people read it? Who is the book for?

If you’ve ever replayed a pitch, a meeting or a conversation back and wished you could have a second take at what you said, this book is for you. Too many times, it’s easy to get caught up in preparing precise presentation slides or detailed spreadsheets without spending the time to plan and practice exactly what you will say and how you will say it. Words That Work is full of quotes and scripts that tell you just what to say to get the results you’re looking for with your board, your investors, your team and your peers. It deconstructs the power of language and gives you tools you can immediately use to communicate your personal and company purpose that will deliver you profitable growth.

Single most important takeaway:

“No one will ever thank you for being verbose. Concise communication is an art everyone can master.”

Meet the author

Internationally acclaimed innovation and growth expert Val Wright works with clients such as Starbucks, LinkedIn, Amazon, Lenovo, francesca’s, Microsoft, Avnet, Financial Times, Gartner and the LA Lakers. Wright’s corporate experience includes tenures during dramatic growth periods at Amazon, BMW, Microsoft, Harrods and Xbox. Her books include Thoughtfully Ruthless: The Key to Exponential Growth, Rapid Growth, Done Right: Lead, Influence and Innovate for Success Kogan Page and Words That Work: Communicate Your Purpose, Your Profits and Your Performance.