The Communication Book: 44 Ideas for Better Conversations Every Day

Price: $18.95 - $16.98
(as of Jun 23, 2024 03:46:21 UTC – Details)

Mikael Krogerus and Roman Tschäppeler have tested the 44 most important communication theories and distilled them in book form, alongside clear and entertaining illustrations.

Want better conversations? Ask open-ended questions that have no right or wrong answers―make your partner feel brilliant.Want better meetings? Ban smartphones, use a timer, and make everyone stand up.Want better business deals? Focus on the thing, rather than the person; on similarities, rather than differences; and on good outcomes, rather than perfect ones.

Whether you want to present ideas more clearly, improve your small talk, or master the art of introspection, The Communication Book delivers, fusing theoretical knowledge and practical advice in a small but mighty package. With sections on work, the self, relationships and language, this book is indispensable for anyone who wants to improve what they say, and how they say it.

44 illustrations

From the Publisher

Theory of Rhetoric: How to Make a Good Speech

Aristotle considered rhetoric not as a tool to convince the audience, but as an art form to help present a persuasive argument. He was in fact the first person to prepare academics for their TED talks and keynotes. Below are six rhetorical rules:

Anaphora: repetition of a word or phrase, typical in political speeches: “I demand justice. I demand understanding. I demand…”Inversion: reversing the usual word order, such as in “Infinite is his sorrow” (instead of “His sorrow is infinite.”).Irony: saying one thing when you really mean the opposite, e.g., “I really enjoyed being stuck in that traffic jam.”Rhetorical questions: questions that make a statement, e.g., “Would you like shiny, glossy hair?”Analogies (comparisons): “He stood there like a dying duck in a thunderstorm” (banal) or “He was as confused as a comma at the end of a sentence” (creative).Antithesis: a contrasting thought to produce tension, e.g., “He was beautiful, strong and…unhappy.”

Principled Negotiation: How to Reach an Agreement

Negotiation is the fine art of finding a solution to an apparently impossible situation. One of the best-known negotiating methods, “principled negotiation,” is based on the book Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher and William L. Ury.

Let’s break down their strategy:

Thing, not person: do not be distracted by whether you like the other person or not.Similarities, not differences: don’t think: I am in the weaker [or stronger] negotiating position. Ask yourself: What does the other person need from me? Do we have common interests?Good enough, not perfect: you should not be aiming for the maximum possible. Because perfection is like the unicorn: it’s rumored to exist, but nobody has ever seen it. So, alongside your desired outcome to the negotiation, have a Plan B prepared before negotiations even start. This is called the BATNA Principle (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement). It offers the best alternative when an agreement can’t be reached.

L’Esprit de l’escalier: When We Think of the Best Arguments

“The term l’esprit de l’escalier (‘staircase wit’) refers to opinions and ideas that we express with clear, polished pithiness—and which always occurs to us too late. Afterward, when we slowly descend the stairs, we are suddenly much smarter than before.” This is how William Lewis Hertslet described the term in his bestseller Staircase Wit of World History, which was published in 1882.

Many studies have dealt with this phenomenon, and have all come to the same conclusion: paralysis by analysis. If you start thinking, you lose. Psychologists recommend four tricks:

Expose yourself repeatedly to the same situation, whereby the situation loses its uniqueness.Wait five seconds before answering—your answer might not be any cleverer, but it comes across as weightier.Not so easy: imagine that you’re not in an interview but sitting in the pub with friends.Keep in mind that although being quick-witted can be impressive, it is seldom required in most jobs.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company; Illustrated edition (February 4, 2020)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1324001984
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1324001980
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.6 x 0.8 x 7.4 inches