10 books to help improve your communication skills

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Lifehacker has selected the most useful books, thanks to which you will learn how to choose the right words in a conversation with anyone and under any circumstances.

1. “Mastery of communication. How to Find a Common Language with Anyone ", Paul McGee

Knowledge, high IQ, professionalism - all this is not enough to achieve success. You need to be able to communicate your ideas to others and not be afraid of difficult conversations. The Mastery of Communication focuses on the mistakes we make when communicating with other people. The book contains many interesting stories on the topic and just as much food for thought.

2. "How to Overcome Shyness" by Philip Zimbardo

The author of the book is a famous American social psychologist, organizer of the famous Stanford prison experiment. In his books, instead of abstract reasoning, you will find only a scientific approach and statistics. "How to Overcome Shyness" is no exception. Zimbardo views shyness as an individual way of responding to emotions. And in order for you to be able to overcome your complexes, it offers a set of specific tips and exercises.

3. "How to Talk to Anyone" by Mark Rhodes

Talking tension is a natural phenomenon. The main thing is to be able to overcome it. This is exactly what Rhodes writes about: how to deal with fears and barriers, start a conversation, gain confidence and get rid of the unfounded fear of rejection and chase. A universal book about the problems of modern communication.

4. "Turning on the charm according to the method of the secret services", Jack Schafer and Marvin Karlins

Former FBI agent and behavioral analyst Jack Schafer explains how to communicate and influence people. You will learn to recognize lies, see signals in the behavior of other people, change their opinion of themselves. Another plus of this book: it has a section on online relationships. Today, most of the conversations with people take place on the Internet, and this communication also has its own characteristics.

5. "How to Talk to Assholes" by Mark Goulston

Yes, from time to time we all have to communicate not only with pleasant and friendly people, but also with completely unbearable people. And do not be confused by the title of the book: we will talk about the category of people with an irrational and dishonest communication style. You cannot build a constructive dialogue with them.

Mark Goulston, a business psychiatrist, offers a whole range of techniques: 14 ways to deal with psychos, 8 ways to cope with insanity in your personal life and, of course, recommendations for working on ourselves (after all, we also sometimes lose our temper and may seem inadequate).

6. “I can hear right through you. Effective negotiation technique ", Mark Goulston

Conversation is not so much the ability to express one's thoughts beautifully, as the ability to listen and understand the interlocutor. Believe me, people love to be listened to. This helps them feel more comfortable and confident. The main secret of communication is very simple: when you listen to the other person, he will be ready to listen to you.

7. “The power of persuasion. The Art of Influencing People, James Borg

You will not find NLP or advice on manipulating people in this book. Persuasion is the ability to influence a person by contacting him directly and helping him to comprehend the situation. Only reasoning and honesty, no gimmicks. James Borg's advice applies to both work and personal life.

8. “Secrets of communication. The Magic of Words, James Borg

Another book by James Borg, which is best read in conjunction with the previous one. Communication, persuasion and influence are interrelated and interdependent things. The magic of words that Borg writes about is, of course, a metaphor. But there is also a grain of truth in it: the words we use determine our success in relationships, work, business. It's time to learn to choose the right words.

9. "The Strange Girl Who Fell in Love with the Brain," Billy Fitzpatrick and Wendy Suzuki

Neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki once realized that she was completely unhappy with her life: she devoted all her time only to scientific work. But it was the knowledge of neuroscience that helped her to establish communication with people, improve physical fitness and change the way of thinking.

At the heart of her methodology is a four-minute brain workout that helps restore strength, improve mood and make thinking more intense. The body and the brain are connected, and if you learn to manage this connection, you will literally be transformed - both externally and internally.

10. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Probably no such collection of books is complete without good old Carnegie. One of the first books on self-help and effective communication. A classic proven over the years.