3.2 out of 4 stars.
I don’t say this a lot but maybe better to check out the media version over the book for Amy Cuddy’s subject matter of presence.
The reason I say that is because Cuddy has an incredible Ted Talk that you can listen to here and I think it is good enough on its own that you don’t need further explanation. For some reason I watched her presentation and STILL checked out “Presence” regarding the exact same matter and I was left feeling totally bored. Personally, I just don’t think the subject of body language is warranted for a 300 page book. Maybe you disagree!
Yes, Cuddy touches on different material like self affirmations and not just faking it but “making” it. However, for me it just was too obvious to be a life changing mantra for me. Surprisingly, Cuddy had a whole chapter dedicated to people’s testimonies of how this idea has in fact changed their everyday life. My response? That is awesome! I would be curious to know if they could have just listened to the 20 minute presentation to discover the study of this rather than take 3 hours to read. <– This statement is shocking for me to say because I absolutely LOVE to read and would rather pick up a book over the movie any day but self management books are different.
Unlike a novel, a self-help book is supposed to offer several ways in which one’s life can be made easier. My point? Novels are supposed to make you feel and management books are supposed to make you take action. If my object is to get going on something with my brain, I would like the answers to be clear cut.
If that was Cuddy’s goal than why would the book itself take up several of my much needed minutes? For an example to prove this, the book I just completed, “Originals” by Adam Grant was jam-packed with helpful advice of ways to make oneself stand out. The topic must have been challenging to write because the idea of being an individual has so many concepts. However, Grant hit the nail on the head. It was exceptional how he was able to get such clear and concise ideas out in a direct manner that were not drawn out. I was able to learn, prepare, and finish the book quickly so I could start completing my takeaway points.
Flash forward to Amy Cuddy’s book and it was hard to make a comparison. It felt very beginner and more repetitive as if she thought her reader wouldn’t be able to understand the concept unless she circled over and over. This doesn’t mean that I will not sit up and straight and “power up” in the future. I was a fan of this idea from the first 20 seconds of the Ted Talk.
If you are looking to make improvements, I would try your luck with any Malcolm Gladwell book or the Adam Grant “Originals” book I mentioned. I believe you would have more success. If you are interested in female authors, I would go for Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Big Magic”. Hope this helps!
