by Anita Simon, Amy Yeager, Ben Benjamin | Publisher: McGraw-Hill | Release Date: February 2012 | ISBN: 9780071810678

One of the New York Post's Top 10 Best Career Books of 2012Repair communication breakdowns on the spot and drive positive results in every conversationFailed conversations can take a heavy toll on our professional and personal lives, threatening to damage relationships, erode trust, and make it impossible to resolve conflicts, reach decisions, or achieve mutual understanding.Conversation Transformation gives you practical guidelines for managing the six most common (and aggravating) conversation killers: yes-buts, mind-reads, negative predictions, leading questions, complaining, and verbal attacks. Each skill-building chapter guides you through a three-step process for replacing unconstructive habits with more effective responses:AWARENESSLearn to recognize an ineffective communication pattern the instant it occursACTIONUse specific new strategies to turn the conversation in a better directionPRACTICEEngage in repeated, structured practice to turn those actions into new habitsPraise for Conversation Transformation:“Devastatingly insightful . . . provides the practical coaching you need to change old habits and transform your interactions.”—SHEILA HEEN and DOUGLAS STONE, bestselling authors of Difficult Conversations”An invaluable resource . . . filled with simple tools and fixes to improve communication skills, exactly the skills that can make us all more effective in politics, business, and life.”—SENATOR JOHN F. KERRY“Practical, inspiring, and powerful. You will never look at your conversations the same way again.”—SUZANNE BATES, bestselling author of Speak Like a CEO and Discover Your CEO Brand

1. Opener 00:00:22
2. Note to the Reader 00:04:09
3. Chapter 1: Can This Conversation Be Saved? 00:20:05
4. Chapter 2: Teaching an Old Brain New Tricks 00:34:37
5. Chapter 3: Polite Fights 00:58:20
6. Chapter 4: Clairvoyant Readings 1:05:33
7. Chapter 5: Catastrophe Forecasts 00:53:34
8. Chapter 6: Question Traps 00:47:32
9. Chapter 7: Gripe Cycles 00:43:02
10. Chapter 8: Blame Games 1:08:02
11. Chapter 9: SAVI: An All-Purpose Tool to Improve Any Conversation 00:40:34
12. Afterword 00:04:54
13. Acknowledgments & Notes 00:00:40