Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves

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Description

A Harvard professor shows how we can become better talkers - and why effective conversation will help us all thrive Conversation is at the heart of our relationships and our decision-making. From meeting a colleague to saying goodnight to our loved ones, our days are filled with verbal communication -- but the science of everyday conversation is little known. We may spend time thinking about difficult exchanges, but research shows that there's room to improve seemingly easy interactions too. In Talk, Harvard professor Alison Wood Brooks shows how simple changes in how we communicate can enhance our relationships, our performance at work and our lives; who we talk to affects our happiness; and how to talk across differences. Her original research, based on thousands of conversations from sales calls to speed dating, provides fascinating insights - for instance, the way that certain questions affect dating success, and the role of jokes in reaching leadership positions. Learning to converse even a little more effectively can make a big difference. Through her original TALK framework - Topics, Asking, Levity and Kindness - Wood Brooks will give you the tools that her MBA students say transforms their lives. Bringing together psychology, linguistics, sociology and neuroscience, Talk will show how we can use science to help us enrich our lives, one conversation at a time.

Reviews

Its hard to overstate the importance of conversation in life and at work. In this brilliantly-crafted new book, author Alison Wood Brooks explains when and why conversations breakdown, drag on, or otherwise disappoint, and when and why they flow effortlessly to build mutual understanding. TALK will be a welcome gift for anyone who wants to have better, more effective, and more rewarding conversations with friends, family, colleagues, and even strangers. -- Amy C. Edmondson * Novartis Professor of Leadership, Harvard Business School; Author of FT Business Book of the Year Right Kind of Wrong *
Appropriately enough, reading TALK is like having a conversation with the world's best conversationalist. Alison Wood Brooks brings to life the science of conversation, in which she is a world expert, with the utmost warmth, empathy, and joy. The perfect combination of stories and science, maxims and examples, this book has raised my game as a conversationalist. I'm recommending it to everyone I know -- Angela Duckworth * #1 NYT Bestselling author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance *
TALK is a rigorously researched, evidence-based book by a leader in the field. On top of this, it's a joy to read a killer combination. -- Emily Oster * NYT Bestselling author of Expecting Better, Cribsheet, The Family Firm, and The Unexpected *
Alison Wood Brooks has crafted a thing of beauty; a thorough look at how we communicate, why we communicate, and how to unlock the power of communication with this fantastic book TALK. We will all be quietly planning talk topics, asking more questions, bringing joy, and finding empathy towards one another after reading this book. There are too many ah-ha moments to count in this book so just do yourself a favor and start reading it! -- Anthony Veneziale * Grammy-Nominated & Tony Award-Winning creator of Freestyle Love Supreme *
TALK is, by far, the most useful book Ive read in a long time. Just two chapters into it, I found myself having more enjoyable and meaningful conversations with everyone from receptionists to the person I live with. The writing is witty and wise, and each chapter is crammed with fascinating stories and astonishing research discoveries. Get this book! -- Teresa Amabile * Harvard Business School professor emerita and coauthor of Retiring: Creating a Life that Works for You *
For many, one of the lost arts in modern life is conversation. Alison Wood Brooks wonderful new book TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves has the solution. Read this book, and your life will improve. -- Arthur C. Brooks * Harvard Professor and #1 New York Times bestselling author *
In TALK, Alison Wood Brooks, one of behavioral sciences superstars, teaches us how to have more productive, engaging and humane conversations. Witty, science-driven and filled with compelling insights and stories, TALK is a modern classic. -- Ethan Kross * author of Chatter *
Builds a convincing case for practicing and better understanding the elements that shape good conversation. Lucid and pragmatic, this unlocks some of the mysteries of human communication. * Publishers Weekly *

Author Bio

Alison Wood Brooks is the O'Brien Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. Her oversubscribed course 'TALK- How to Talk Gooder in Business and Life' helps MBA students hone their conversational skills. Her research has featured in two of the twenty most popular TED Talks of all time as well as in Pixar's film Inside Out 2. She was named an American Psychological Society Rising Star in 2017 and one of the 'Best 40 Under 40 MBA Professors' by Poets & Quants