I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author G. Riley Mills shares the experience and skills needed to empower readers and leaders alike with the means of growing their business and life as a whole through effective communication strategies in the book “Synergy and Sparks.”
The Synopsis
Become a Standout Leader with Intentional Strategies Tailored to Your Role and Industry
Synergy and Sparks: Unlock Excellence through Communication, Collaboration, and Influence is more than just a business book—it’s a definitive, practical guide for thriving as a leader in an ever-evolving world. Written by the Emmy Award–winning co-founder of Pinnacle Performance Company—one of the world’s leading communication skills training firms—this book unveils the proven, award-winning methodology behind Pinnacle’s global success.
Blending the art and science of communication, Synergy and Sparks equips leaders with the tools and insights that Fortune 500 companies have relied on for decades. It offers a hands-on roadmap filled with current research, real-world examples, engaging stories, and actionable exercises—empowering readers to lead with clarity, influence, and intention.
Each chapter is designed to spark growth, foster collaboration, and help you apply these transformative strategies directly to your own leadership journey. Throughout the book, readers will learn:
- The six most important aspects of modern leadership: communication, presence, influence, storytelling, connection, and collaboration
- The skills needed to communicate a clear vision, drive productivity, and retain top talent
- Time-tested performance techniques that professional actors have utilized for centuries to project confidence, influence emotion, and motivate action in their audiences
Synergy and Sparks is the perfect resource to help frustrated leaders achieve their full potential and motivate their teams to action.
The Review
The author’s insights and knowledge were on point in this book. The author’s ability to communicate and educate readers on the effectiveness of communication through historical, pop culture, and business-related examples was both inspiring and relatable, and the conversational tone of the book’s writing style effectively emphasized the power of communication.
Social awareness, balancing stress and performance, and even using storytelling devices in communication techniques are just a few of the compelling ideas that the author brings to life in this book. The way the author explores a post-COVID world and how it has changed the business landscape was amazing. One of the unique concepts the author brought to the conversation of modern business communication is the idea of “Yes, and”, which challenges leaders to embrace change and find ways of growing and building upon that change as a result.
The Verdict
Insightful, compelling, and engaging, author G. Riley Mills’s “Synergy and Sparks” is a must-read nonfiction book on business and communication. The author’s education and experience, combined with a personable and straightforward writing style, will keep readers coming back to this book time and again to seek knowledge about business communication. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
G. Riley Mills is a three-time Emmy Award-winning producer, writer and entrepreneur. He is the author of Synergy and Sparks and the co-author of The Pin Drop Principle and its follow-up The Bullseye Principle (all published by John Wiley & Sons). He was included in the list of “Top Leadership Speakers” by Inc. Magazine and has taught effective communication to executives and CEOs on six continents. He presented his TEDx session “Are We Killing Communication?” at the Shanghai American School, Shanghai, China and consulted on the MSNBC program “All In America: Chicago” which won a 2018 Emmy for Outstanding News Discussion and Analysis.
Mills has guest-lectured or delivered keynotes at such events and institutions as Columbia University, London Business School, ATD International Conference, London Chamber of Commerce, SHRM International Conference, New York University, Utrecht University (Netherlands), Singapore Management University, MENA Conference (Saudi Arabia), Manchester United and The Royal Household at Buckingham Palace.
As a writer, Mills has written for Forbes and Fast Company. He has twice been awarded the Joseph Jefferson Citation for Best New Work, in 1998 and 2001. His acclaimed musical, The Hundred Dresses, premiered Off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theatre Company in New York City. His play, Lift Every Voice, was acquired by Dramatic Publishing Company and won the 2022 Distinguished Play Award from the American Alliance of Theatre & Education. Mills is a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild as well as the Forbes Coaches Council. He produced the award-winning film Bed which premiered at the 2021 Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal. He co-wrote and co-produced The Lost Story of Emmett Till: Trial in the Delta for NBC and Collaboraction Theatre (streaming on Peacock) which won a 2022 Emmy Award (Chicago/Midwest) and was a finalist for the 2023 Silver Gavel Award from the American Bar Association. Mills also won a 2024 Emmy Award (Chicago/Midwest) for The Lost Story of Emmett Till: Then and Now, which was produced by NBC and won Outstanding Regional Documentary.
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