Crucial Conversations

I got some out of this, but I just didn't feel like the intended audience. I almost never pick up a self-help book, let alone one with a focus on business. I'm wary of popular science. However, I did gather a few key takeaways:

- Don't be fooled into thinking you have to pick between two suboptimal outcomes. Changing how you communicate allows you to generate alternative, mutually beneficial solutions.

- When a conversation becomes heated, instead of funneling energy into “winning,” take a moment to remind yourself what you ultimately want to accomplish.

- There are ways to voice criticism in a less combative manner, without diluting what you think.

- We regain the capacity for productive dialogue by asking questions that humanize the other person(s), like “Why would a reasonable and decent person do this?”

I did not care for the constant testimonials. It was like the book had commercials for itself peppered throughout. I also would have liked to see more variety in the hypothetical scenarios. It was mostly administrative office settings, where the person trying to better communicate is The Boss. The focus on the workplace is fair, but they could have shown more situations with lower-ranking employees, or some interactions between staff and clients.

I can see how a book like this could make a big impact on people, but I am not that people, at least in this moment.