June 20

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Book Review: Just Listen

Have you ever had a tough conversation where you felt like you just needed a helmet and kneepads to deliver the message? If you’re like me, you’ve also probably left a conversation at some point wishing you had said something you didn’t, said it in a different way, or maybe not have said it at all. Since your ability to communicate effectively directly impacts the success of both your personal and professional lives, we shouldn’t leave it to chance.

 

Dr. Mark Goulston’s book, Just Listen, provides practical strategies that anyone can implement to be a better communicator and it all starts with putting down the helmet and kneepads and listening.

 

Mark’s book is all about helping you discover “the secrets of getting through to absolutely anyone.” The book takes you on a journey of self-discovery and, if you’re like me, you’ll find yourself highlighting and writing notes throughout the margins of the book. Dr. Goulston provides practical insight and examples on how to get yourself under control, make the other individual feel valued, and then apply one or more of his 12 communication strategies to achieve buy-in. Dr. Goulston reminds us that lecturing someone never works and “the person yelling feels that he or she isn’t being heard or considered.” Three key concepts I’ve personally committed to work on are getting the person to exhale, paraphrasing to “Yes!”, and the Fill in the Blank strategy.

 

This book is now one of my go-to resources when I coach leaders in companies, and I believe that with a healthy dose of self-awareness this book can change the lives of any parent, leader, sales executive, and/or teacher.

 

This is more than a book! Throughout 221 pages, Dr. Goulston teaches a master class that can change the way you communicate in both your personal and professional lives. I have no doubt that if you take the time to read Just Listen, practice the concepts, make mistakes, learn from them, then you too will learn “the secrets of getting through to absolutely anyone.”

 

Enjoy the experience!


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