“You can’t do a remarkable job without having remarkable conversations,” says the author. Fear of conflict, fear of being wrong, fear of speaking up, there are many reasons good conversations don’t happen and good feedback isn’t given.
This book inspires and gives us practical tools to be more effective in having tough conversations. I love the example used to illustrate expanding the truth.
Would you jump from a plane without a parachute if I gave you $100,000? Most people say no right away without considering the context. Most people say yes when you expand the conversation to see the whole truth. The missing truth? The plane is on the ground. There is a healthy amount of research, stories, and examples included.
The material builds on the material that has been around for a while, such as the Thomas Kilmann Conflict model, Crucial Conversations, and newer work from those like Brene Brown on vulnerability, Simon Sinek on why, and Ann Cuddy on Body Language. It also includes the author’s work and weaves it all together seamlessly.
A tried-and-true topic and essential for anyone wanting to improve conversations and feedback giving and receiving. It’s targeted at those in business who manage people. The book is more than feedback; it is about leadership and changing organizational cultures. As someone who teaches this stuff, I highly recommend this easy-to-read, funny, and inspiring book. It’s practical and concise. I frequently use it to teach and recommend it to coaching clients.
