Review by Carol Meerschaert, MBA, RD

HBA Greater Philadelphia member, 2010 Leadership Conference seminar leader, and HBA Greater Philadelphia chapter speaker Karen Friedman has written a practical, easy to use reference guide for business communications. As her title implies, people often talk a lot and say very little. Karen set out to correct that and empower you to communicate clearly, concisely and passionately in order to impact others with your intended messages.

This practical guide is organized from Z to A in order to “remind readers to keep the end goal “Z” in mind when faced with daily communication challenges. Each entry is stand alone so that while you can read the book from start to finish, you can also pick it up and focus on the section that relates to your current challenge from Z for zip it—“you never have to explain what you do not say” to A for approachable attitudes that remind us that “the vibe you give off is the one you get back.” Karen sprinkles the book with first hand experiences from her years as a communications consultant and as a television reporter. Her coaching notes give you the take home messages from the section in short, actionable bites. Sticky, easy to remember sound bites are in boxes to stand out. Some examples:

• Great leaders empower others by making them feel important so they want to follow.
• Executive presence is how you use your personal style to empower and connect with others.
• If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.

Clearly Karen understands business communication well enough to explain it simply.

Review by Marc Kramer Philadelphia Bulletin 

Many readers may remember Karen Friedman, a graduate of Penn State University and Manchester University. She was a star television reporter for almost 15 years for Philadelphia’s most viewed television news station, WPVI Channel 6. Since leaving the news world over a decade ago, Ms. Friedman launched one of the top corporate communication practices in the country, Karen Friedman Enterprises. Now she has come out with a book entitled Shut Up and Say Something! published by Praeger Press where she provides advice and insights on how to be an effective communicator.

Review by The PR Lawyer

Right from the beginning with chapter one, “Zip It” to chapters “Talk to your Grandmother” and “Reality Check,” Friedman presents attention-grabbers.  “The backward Z-to-A format reminds us to keep the end goal (Z) in mind when faced with daily communication challenges that are frequently met with resistance and skepticism.” How clever.

“Shut Up and Say Something” is outlined with easy to read bullet points and relevant anecdotes from Friedman’s years in the industry from working as a news anchor and reporter to her experience in the communications coaching business.  She presents key points when dealing with the media and proves their importance through some cringe worthy real-life anecdotes.  She clearly demonstrates just how one sound bite or off-the-cuff remark can be linked to you and/or your organization forever.

Review by The Compleat Anglophile

Business self-help books usually make my eyes glaze over by the middle of the first chapter, but I just can't put Karen's book down! Her personal, clear style of writing is a pleasure. This means that you will really absorb the important information and techniques that Karen presents in this book. I particularly enjoy Karen's personal anecdotes, the apt and entertaining quotes at the beginning of chapters, and the "Dull" vs. "Keeper" examples of phrasing. This book is certainly a Keeper!

One of the other reviewers urged all to SHUT UP AND BUY IT. Great advice. What I want to tell everyone around me is SHUT UP AND LET ME READ THIS!

Review by Pharma Voice

SHUT UP AND SAY SOMETHING:
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES AND INFLUENCE LISTENERS offers a hands-on approach to help professionals overcome daily communications challenges to quickly influence listeners and decision-makers.

Author Karen Friedman, an international communications expert and head of Karen Friedman Enterprises, has included personal review notes from individual client coaching sessions, as well as techniques and lessons learned from brainstorming sessions, closed-door meetings, client conversations, and management of high profile issues.

Review by Alan Hart, PhD, Burlington County College

Karen Friedman is the best in the field. As an educator, I find this book to be an effective text for anyone who communicates with anyone. In the corporate world or academia the experiences and advice provide the reader with a direct path to success in being interviewed, interrogated or negotiating. What an appropriate title! Wish I had the benefit of Karen's wisdom in some previous situations in teaching, investigating and working with the media.

Review by Ken Lizotte, author Expert's Edge

Karen's book is a joy. Its advice on effective communications is solid and based on the author's extensive work training business clients and educating conference audiences, as well as her prior work as a TV reporter and media star. The book covers every possible issue involving communicating well, from A to Z... or more accurately, as defined by her table of contents... from Z to A!
The book is enhanced with lively anecdotes from Karen's personal as well as business life while it leads you through easy-to-understand breakdowns of what to watch out for and action steps to take. It's a fun read, with funny comments and just-as-funny celebrity & business people quotes.

Buy this book so you can learn to influence your audiences, employees, customers and general public. Buy it too so you can have fun while you learn.

Review by Bernstein Crisis Management

I've been a repeat fan of Karen Friedman for years, and have had the privilege of publishing multiple articles by Karen in my "Crisis Manager" newsletter. Her insights about the world of superior corporate communications are epitomized by her latest book, SHUT UP and Say Something. Buy it.

Review by Suzanne Bates, author Speak Like A CEO

I've known and admired Karen since we competed as TV reporters in Philadelphia to get the scoop for the 11:00 news. We followed parallel tracks as we left television news to start our businesses. I continue to be inspired by Karen, who long ago patented the art of delivering refreshing, no-holds-barred advice. In Shut Up and Say Something you get Karen unplugged on every page. When I wrote Speak Like a CEO and Motivate Like a CEO, my goal was to give people advice they could use. No surprise, that Karen has delivered on that promise, as well. I heartily recommend that you buy and read this book from cover to cover.

Philadelphia Ad Club Book Review, by Eric Herr

Many of you may remember Karen Friedman, a crack Action News reporter on WPVI (Channel 6) in the mid 1980’s to the mid 1990’s. 

For those of you who, don’t, I can tell you that she was always on point, always did her research and always presented the topic at hand in a balanced, responsible way.

Never one to miss a beat, Karen parlayed her more than two decade career in television  along with her experience in political circles as a candidate for Montgomery County’s 61st State House District into Karen Friedman Enterprises, in 1996. 

Not surprisingly, it’s a company that deals with a broad range of media training and interview coaching, effective message delivery, corporate presentations plus other communications fundamentals.

Also, not surprising, is the fact that Karen has authored a book called “Shut Up and Say Something.”
I recently saw Karen in action at an open to the public event at Burlington County College’s Mount Laurel, New Jersey, campus where she hit hard on the importance of good communications and connecting with others in an engaging and mutually rewarding way. 

Most importantly, she drove home the fact that what we say and what we do have real consequences in an often unforgiving world.

Those with any doubts, need only look to the recent Congressional scandal involving Anthony Weiner and his ultimate resignation from elected office.

But, you don’t need to be a member of the media or in politics to appreciate Shut Up and Say Something.
Consider it a guide to help you over any kind of communications hurdles you may encounter.

Friedman’s book underscores the importance and indeed the absolute necessity to be a good and effective communicator, whether it be in your career or  in your personal life. 

Each of the books twenty six chapters is loaded with practical, easy to follow tips that can help simplify even the most challenging communications tasks, from e mails, speeches, letters, video conferencing to crisis management and anything in between.

In an age where multiple message mediums are constantly expanding and evolving, Shut Up and Say Something is a must read for students, educators, business professionals and anyone else who wants to cut through the clutter, optimize their communication skills and have their voice heard above the rest.

Review by Mona Plumber, Realtor and Reader

I just finished reading your book, and it was amazing. I thought it was relevant to almost anyone in any business setting, any level… I’m even going to suggest my son read it before he leaves for college. You made the material interesting and illustrated your points in the delivery.