Rating: 
Summary: If you use just one idea it will be worth the read
Review: Difficult conversations is not just a book, it's a powerful tool for changing the course of the conversations that matter the most. The only danger you'll face in reading this book is the danger of failing to make use of the life-enhancing concepts that fill each page. For example, the principle of shifting from assigning blame to discussing various "contributions" to problem situations has helped me personally to defuse upset emotions and get a conversation back on track.
Congratulations to these fine scholars and practitioners for a timeless contribution.
Joseph Grenny, co-author Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High
Rating:
Summary: Life changing
Review: There are few books I give credit to actually making a change in my life. Difficult conversations is one of them. Of course those who know me best would say I had considerable room for improvement which made it easier. That is true, but none the less, progress is mine and all are better for it. Thanks to the authors for making their points clear and with endless examples. I believe changing behavior takes time, but changing ones perspective can happen in an instant. This book gave me new lenses through which to view the world, and with my new prespective I can't help but strive to become what I now see is possible.
Rating: 
Summary: Review for Difficult Conversations
Review: Any conversation that you can possibly imagine may run into some sort of difficulty some time in your life. From talking with your children or a significant other, or a conversation in the work place. All these conversations can have a difficult situation to deal with. This book can help you find a useful way to get through these difficult conversations. This book has a one step at a time approach to help you through these difficult times. It shows you how to start a conversation and keep it going once you have already started. This book also goes into telling you how a conversation shows who you are, and then how you are decides how your conversations will go. The book starts out with identifying the three types on conversation. Those being the "What Happened, Feelings, and Identity Conversations'" It gives you details on each of them showing you what may occur during each of them. Also what to do during while they are happening to make them work out best for each person involved. Finally the book teaches you how to create a learning conversation with the six ways to do it. "What's your purpose, Getting Started, Learning, Expression, Problem Solving, and Putting it all together." If you have any kind of problem when it comes to dealing with conversations or you just wish to better yourself in the communication area I suggest you read this book. It is a great way to better your communication skills and make your conversations more producitve. I know you will enjoy and learn from reading this book and every time that you reread it you will learn knew information that can be helpful to you.
Rating:
Summary: Read this by the time your child is 12.
Review: This book is worth thousands of dollars in therapy for husbands and wives and parents. And better....because the concepts are written down to be continually available to you, unlike after leaving a $125/hr. therapy session. Beautifully, efficiently, and clearly articulated, these concepts, if implemented, will bring healing to your relationships, if you bring a sense of humility to the reading of this book. See the other 5 star reviews for good descriptions of content. As for myself, I am buying several copies to share with other agonized parents of struggling teens.
Rating:
Summary: This is a true success tool!
Review: In my quest to continually evolve as a person and improve my relationships with family, friends, co-workers, I ran accross many good books that had helped improve many of my communication skills. However, this book, with the descriptive and detailed examples, as well as pragmatic, candid, and scientific insights into the dynamics in communication between human beings, has finally opened my eyes to the dual reality of being both right and wrong at the same time (depending on what data I'm drawing my conclusion from). I was both startled and liberated to learn that I also contribute to the problem, because from this realization, I know that I can contribute to solving the problem as well. What I learned from this book has empowered me to be a better team member at work, a more supportive and caring wife and mother at home, and a better friend.
This is a true success tool!
Rating:
Summary: Awesome advise!!
Review: This audio book gives great advise. Gives you examples of situations, and is a great asset for any invdividual. This stuff actually works.
Rating: 
Summary: Descriptions are long...
Review: Read 2 pages 233-234 "A Difficult Conversations Checklist". In a simplistic view, these two pages are all you need from this book out of some 250 pages.... If you need to clarify and know more, read the subsequent section "A Road Map to Difficult Conversations" p235-248. This section resembles table of contents. Skim through this section and read sections that you don't understand. Very similar to Getting to Yes book in writing style. Some readers may get annoyed by overdescriptions and examples of the material.
Rating:
Summary: Life Changing!
Review: Get ready to do some serious emotional growing if you buy this book. The format makes it easy to read and understand the concepts AND put them into action. Although I've recognized my own poor communication skills in the past, I never had a method to break those patterns. Now I do and I already notice a huge difference in the way I speak to others and how they respond- conversations about touchy subjects are becoming more intimate (a deeper connection with others) and more effective.This book is for you if you're tired of: going on the defense or triggering others to be defensive, not being heard, feeling lousy after an argument, worrying about your identity (are you a good, competent, lovable person), and not being able to express yourself or not inviting others to express themselves. Many blessings to you along your path!
Rating:
Summary: I highly recommend it
Review: Buying this book is one of the best things I've done for myself in a long time. Within days of reading it I was having much more meaningful and productive conversations with my husband, co-workers, friends and family. I am a trained mediator and negotiator and still found the information in this book to go above and beyond my training. Although successful in negotiating for my company, I had a hard time standing up for my self on issues of a more personal nature - this book solved that problem almost immediately.
Rating:
Summary: Decent
Review: Decent book. Good refresher on dealing with others. But too touchy-feely for me.
|
