Cover -- Endorsements -- Title page -- Copyright page -- Epigraph -- Contents -- Dedication -- About the Author -- Foreword by Armand Beasley -- Introduction: Why You Should Want to Speak to Absolutely Anyone -- Communication Is All about Understanding -- We notice different things -- PART ONE: Common Fears and Barriers about Speaking to Absolutely Anyone -- 1: Fear - Does It Hold You Back? -- What Exactly Is Fear? -- How much fear do you have? -- Your Mindset - The Biggest Potential Barrier -- Conclusion -- 2: "I don't want to experience rejection" -- 3: "I worry about what other people might think" -- What Others Might Think of Your Interaction -- Conclusion -- 4: "I hate talking to strangers - why would I want to?" -- Why Bother Talking to Strangers Anyway? -- You Already Speak to More Strangers Than You Think -- Conclusion -- PART TWO: The Four Stages of an Interaction -- 5: Stage 1 - Your Outcome and Starting a Conversation -- Know the Outcome You Want! -- Being Clear about Your Reasons for the Interaction -- When/Where - Based on the Environment -- The random stranger in a very public environment -- Breaking the deadly silence in a lift or elevator -- Other Environments -- The recreational event -- The learning event -- The business event -- The social event -- A holiday or trip -- Who - Who Do We Talk to Based on Who Looks Approachable? -- Signs that "now may be a good time" to start a conversation -- Signs that "now may not be the best time" to start a conversation -- The curse of getting started -- 6: How - How Do You Mentally and Physically Approach? -- Own Your Environment -- An example of owning your environment -- Mental: Visualize -- Mental: The Other Person's Emotional State -- Mental: Frames -- Physical: How to Physically Approach Someone -- Physical: Getting Their Attention -- Physical: Opening Styles -- One More Thing.

7: What - What Do You Say? -- Types of Opening Statements -- Pace Their Reality or Meet Them Where They Are! -- Spot the Start of Their Engagement -- Engaging people who are resistant -- Keep It Simple with People You've Never Met Before -- Topic Hints and Conversation Hijacking -- Avoid Classic Chitchat for too Long -- 8: Stage 2 - Creating Curiosity and Interest -- Leading Their Imagination -- The Power of Stories -- Be a great conversationalist - through use of stories -- Your attitude affects the outcome you get -- 9: Stage 3 - Making a Connection and Being Understood -- Being Understood - An Example -- "What's Important to You?" -- Making it Easier for People to Understand What You're Saying -- What Words Are They Using? -- Decision Strategies -- Dealing with Questions -- How Much Detail? -- The Balance of Consistency and Variety -- A Little Recognition and Appreciation Goes a Long Way -- Are You Really Listening? -- 10: Stage 4 - Get Them to Take Action -- Motivation -- Talk as if It's Going to Happen -- Capture Their Imagination -- Have the Expectation of a Good Outcome -- Go for It! -- Narrow Choices Are Best! -- Objections -- Conclusion -- Summary of the Stages of an Interaction -- PART THREE: Making Your Communication Even Better -- 11: Making Your Voice Work for You -- Tonality -- Speed of Talking -- Pauses -- Intonation -- 12: Common Pitfalls -- I Got a Bad Response and Didn't Know How to Handle the Situation -- Avoid Explaining too Much -- Use "But" with Caution -- Respond, Rather Than React -- 13: Difficult Work and Business Conversations -- A Difficult Meeting -- Broken Promises, Missed Deadlines and Similar Situations -- The Price Has Gone Up -- The Art of Delegating -- Work Done Badly -- Tricky Appraisals -- Resistance -- Dealing with Critical Comments -- "I'd rather not discuss that" -- 14: Final Thoughts.

Your "Zero to Hero Talk to Anyone" Development Plan -- Index.