Difficult Conversations

difficult-conversationsDifficult Conversations: How To Discuss What Matters Most
by Douglas Stone

Right now, if I have just 1 book to recommend to people asking about communication issues, this is the book. It incorporates much of what I like most from both the NVC (Nonviolent Communication) and the PNDC (Powerful Non-Defensive Communication) models. I love the principle of shifting from having conversations where we want to make our point, to having learning conversations. Ithe authors encourage us to connect with our own experience and examine our own assumptions and righteousness. The book gives very specific ideas for asking questions to shift the conversation to a learning conversation. It details pitfalls that keep us in the power-struggle places – like confusing the impact on us with the person’s intention. I can’t recommend this book highly enough. www.triadcgi.com