This is an exceptional book. Not since picking up Stephen Covey's "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" over 10 years ago have I come across a book that is destined to have great impact on both myself and millions of other readers.
In essence "Difficult Conversations" is a practical everyday guide for living and breathing Stephen's fifth habit - "Seek first to understand then to be understood". It can be thought of as a "conversational handbook" - applicable in both your personal and business lives. Recently married couples, parents of teenage children and newly appointed managers will find the book especially powerful.
The concepts are simple and if internalized could for example save the needless destruction of countless marriages. What excites me most is that it is so very readable and that its lessons are sufficiently simple that although it might take a life time to master - when applied you can see results in your own conversations and relationships immediately.
Video: BLU Lesson 6: A little about my background by David Gurteen
One of six BLU lessons where I talk a little about my background.
In April 2005, BLU, the UK's Business Link University which no longer exists hired Fifty Lessons to produce a series of video stories for them to which I (David Gurteen) was invited to contribute. This is one of those stories.
If you are interested in Knowledge Management, the
Knowledge Café
or the role of conversation in organizational life then you my be interested in this online book I am writing on
Conversational Leadership
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This is an exceptional book. Not since picking up Stephen Covey's "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" over 10 years ago have I come across a book that is destined to have great impact on both myself and millions of other readers.
Difficult Conversations (1999) by Douglas Stone 
, Bruce Patton 
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