HBR's 10 Must Reads on Communication (with featured article "The Necessary Art of Persuasion," by Jay A. Conger)

A great read. Sometimes you worry the academic journal articles aren’t applicable in real life but this book is packed with real, actionable ideas.

Great material. Thank you

Well received, thank you

This is one in a series of volumes that anthologizes what the editors of the Harvard Business Review consider to be the "must reads" in a given business subject area, in this instance communication. I have no quarrel with any of their selections, each of which is eminently deserving of inclusion. Were all of these article purchased separately as reprints, the total cost would be $60 and the value of any one of them exceeds that. Given the fact that Amazon now sells this one for only £14.44, that's quite a bargain. The same is true of volumes in other series such as "Harvard Business Review on...." and "Harvard Business Essentials." I also think there is great benefit derived from the convenience of having essential, basic information as well as a variety of perspectives and insights gathered in a single volume. In all of the volumes in the "10 Must Read" series that I have read thus far, the authors and HBR editors make skillful use of several reader-friendly devices that include "Idea in Brief" and "Idea in Action" sections, checklists with and without bullet points, boxed mini-commentaries (some of which are "guest" contributions from other sources, and graphic charts and diagrams that consolidate especially valuable information. These and other devices facilitate, indeed accelerate frequent review later of key points later. Those who read this volume will gain valuable information, insights, and counsel that will help them to pitch their brilliant idea with high-impact, connect with their audience, establish their credibility, inspire others to embrace and pursue their vision, adapt to stakeholders concerns and decision-making styles, frame goals that are supported by common interests, and build a consensus and then increase it with additional support. Here are three brief passages that are representative of the quality of the articles from which they are excerpted as well as quality of the other seven articles in this volume. From "Harnessing the Science of Persuasion," Robert B. Cialdini (Pages 25-42): "In the pages that follow, I describe six fundamental principles of persuasion and suggest a few ways that executives can apply them in their own organizations. The Principle of Liking: People like those who like them. Application: Uncover real similarities and offer genuine praise. The Principle of Reciprocity: People Repay in kind. Application: Give what you want to receive. The Principle of Social Proof: People follow the lead of similar others. Application: Use peer power whenever it's available. The Principle of Consistency: People align with their clear commitments. Application: Make their commitments active, public, and voluntary. The Principle of Authority: People defer to experts. Application: Expose your expertise; don't assume it's self-evident. The Principle of Scarcity: People want more of that they can have less of. Application: Highlight unique benefits and exclusive information. * * * From "Telling Tales," Stephen Denning (115-130): Denning provides within his article what he characterizes as "A Storytelling Catalog" of seven approaches: sparking action, communicating who you are, transmitting values, fostering collaboration, taming the grapevine, sharing knowledge, and leading people into the future. The format begins with purpose ("If your objective is..."), proceeds to the appropriate type (You will need a story that..."), indicates what is required ("In telling it, you will need..."), and suggests a probable impact ("Your story will inspire responses such as...") Decades ago while teaching English at a boarding school in New England, I formulated an acronym that may also be helpful: EDNA. That is, Exposition explains with information, Description makes vivid with compelling details e.g. "My foot's asleep and it feels like ginger ale"), Narration tells a story (plot) or explains a sequence, and Argumentation convinces with logic and/or evidence. It is certainly not a coincidence that each of the greatest leaders throughout history was a great storyteller. * * * From "Taking the Stress Out of Stressful Conversations," Holly Weeks" (165-180): At work, stressful conversations take various forms. Here's how to prepare for them: "1. Be aware of your weaknesses to particular people and situations. You'll thus avoid succumbing to your feelings and ignoring your needs during a stressful conversation. "2. Know [begin italics] how [end italics] you tend to react when feeling vulnerable. Do you bare your teeth when facing an overbearing competitor? Shut down when feeling excluded? Knowing your danger zones, you can anticipate your vulnerabilities and improve your responses. "3. With an honest, non-judgmental friend, rehearse clear, neutral, and temperate responses to whatever comments you find most irritating. Get out everything you're thinking [begin italics] and feeling [end italics], then refine your phrasing until it best expresses your message -- in an honest, non-threatening way. Eliminate emotionally charged behaviors [e.g. tone of voice and body language]. Write down your most effective phrasings for future use." If you read nothing else on effective communication, read these ten classic articles from Harvard Business Review.

...zumindest für alle, die sich für Kommunikation interessieren. Vielleicht ist Kommunikation in so weit irreführend, dass es in keinem Text darum geht, mit seinen Mitmenschen besser auszukommen. Es gibt Texte zum "Überzeugen" des eigenen Managements. Einen Text darüber, warum Frauen, aufgrund ihrer frauen-typischen Kommunikationsmuster keine Karriere machen. Einen Text darüber, wie man authentisch, charismatisch und mitreißend präsentiert. Einen Text über Storytelling: der, je nach Anlass, andere Story-Telling-Muster empfiehlt. Und ein Text berichte von den Kosten und unangenehmen Folgen, wenn Mitarbeiter schweigen, z.B. weil Chefs sich zu hart durchsetzen. usw. Ich fand die meisten Texte sehr interessant, weil sie über die übliche Standardware "Emotionale Intelligenz", "4-Seiten-einer-Nachricht" und "Gewaltfreie Kommunikation GFK" hinausgehen. Die meisten hier ausgebreiteten Theorien sind durch wssenschaftliche Studien, die ausführlich zitiert werden, untermauert. Dadurch, dass es ehemalige Texte des Harvard Business Review sind, sind alle Beiträge in sich abgeschlossen und schnell und leicht zu lesen. Daumen hoch.

For anyone interested in improving their communication skills, this is the book for you. I am interested in switching from Finance to Human Resource and this book was a great resource. The books detail various ways to improve how you communicate, with co-workers, managers, direct reports, etc. The book is an easy read and not too many pages; you can finish the book within 2-3 hours easily. It is best to take your time and read it carefully; it is important not to pass up any important information. Great book and will be a resource for years to come.

Good read . Easy and practical steps to improve communication cycle.

This book is actually a compilation of several successful articles of Harvard Bussiness. It is possible to learn everything from the original articles, but the power, I think, of this book is to put you to read all about communication in a row. When I was finished I thought "phew", I'm overwhelmed! But days later I perceived that my mindset shifted, for several lessons made sense combined! I'd recommend this book for newbies on the topic because it gives you the massive core content, not the details.

Came on time with the quality described. Very satisfied