The Glasers’ knowledge of clear and effective communication techniques translates into a manual that is extremely beneficial...
Succinct and informative, this self-help manual not only outlines the communication problems, but also highlights the steps necessary to resolve those issues.
Beginning with the premise that good communication relies on one’s ability to be quiet and listen, this husband-and-wife team go on to incorporate the ways to become a more effective communicator. Misunderstandings often occur when one is unclear, especially when the communication consists of poor word choice or negative body language. Furthermore, the gap between perception and reality can often compound communication difficulties. By stating assumptions clearly and questioning misunderstandings, it becomes easier to understand the reality of the situation, rather than jumping to often erroneous conclusions. One of the most informative sections stresses positive response to criticism. By summarizing the perceptions of the critic and agreeing with the critic’s factual language, differences are more likely to be resolved in an amenable manner. The authors also note that while good listening is an essential leadership skill, leaders must also understand the differences in a variety of decision-making circumstances. The models for the types of decision-making are clear and concrete, enabling the reader to understand that sometimes leaders must make choices without any input from the group. The process, whereby a capable leader effectively communicates what type of decision is being made, enables readers to understand and appreciate how to become more effective leaders. And because public speaking is one of the most effective methods of communication, the authors’ approach to embracing a fear of public speaking teaches that anyone has the ability to become a better public speaker.
The Glasers’ knowledge of clear and effective communication techniques translates into a manual that is extremely beneficial to all who wish to hone their communication skills.Pub Date: May 30, 2006
ISBN: 978-0-9772618-3-3
Page Count: 187
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
“One of the best ways to change,” announces Siegel, “is to act as if you are the person you want to become.” His newest book from the author of Love, Medicine, and Healing offers a series of brief, avuncular, often witty suggestions about how to alter one’s life and find happiness. While the prescriptions themselves offer little to quibble with (“Learn what you can and can’t control”), there’s also little enough of substance in his breezy narrative to provide detailed help for someone in real pain. Still, given the success of Siegel’s previous works, it’s likely that his audience, which made those books bestsellers, will turn once again to Siegel for another dose of effervescent good feelings—and for suggestions about what to do when, as he says, “the merry drops out of the merry-go-round.” (Author tour; television and radio satellite tour)
Pub Date: Oct. 16, 1998
ISBN: 0-06-019196-1
Page Count: 256
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1998
Enthusiastic, embracing guide to self-actualization.
A dairy farmer–turned–certified coach discusses how to realize your unique potential in this debut self-help guide.
Nyland, with her husband, owned and operated a dairy farm for more than 28 years, and they lived first in the Netherlands, now in Canada. She tees up her particular experience by noting that she has “lived with four generations on one farm” and that “Nothing fascinates me more than human interaction.” Now also a certified coach, having completed the “Co-Active” leadership program offered by California-based Coaches Training Institute, Nyland asserts that “we all are magnificent,” each with a special “toolbox/I am status,” yet “most of us don’t even know we have this great toolbox, let alone know that we need to cultivate it to experience a great life.” She believes that blockage occurs due to insecurities that arise from what she calls the five-point system “We have all been taught” via family, society, and media: “how to trust, how to handle conflict, how to be accountable, how to be committed, and what the results of these things are.” Nyland spends most of her book exploring these themes and offering several suggestions to help readers get a better picture of who they really are and what they really want in life. For instance, she says, journal and take her brief survey to assess your current views related to her five-point system. Nyland offers simple yet effective and thought-provoking tools to develop a cleareyed and affirmative approach to life. Her guide can get a bit off course, however, with too much discussion of autobiographical detail, including an odd aside about “stray voltage” causing problems on her farm. Still, Nyland generally presents a positive, uplifting tone in an encouraging guide. “You see, we all encounter difficult challenges in life, and yes, that sucks,” she says. “The thing is, though, with all those challenges we have the opportunity to cultivate and strengthen our toolbox, and how cool is that?”
Enthusiastic, embracing guide to self-actualization.Pub Date: April 17, 2015
ISBN: 978-1503552678
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Xlibris
Review Posted Online: July 23, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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