As part of my objective of this year to read 15 books, I recently finished the book ‘Supercommunicators’ by Charles Duhigg.
Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize-wining investigative journalist. He gained widespread acclaim with his best-selling book “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business”. This book delves into the neuroscience behind habit formation and how habits can be transformed to improve individual and organizational performance.
I have been a big fan of Charles his work, ever since that first book, so I was very curious to deep dive into this new book. In ‘Supercommunicators’, Charles contends that whenever we speak, we are participating in one of three conversations:
- Practical: What is this really about?
- Emotional: How do we feel?
- Social: Who are we?
With his trademark clarity and storytelling, Charles shows his readers how to recognize these different conversations – and how to navigate them more successfully.
“Effective communication is about understanding the practical, emotional, and social dimensions of every conversation”
What did I appreciate most?
One of the things I sincerely appreciate about this book (and Charles’ his previous books) is his writing style. He blends theory with practice, by combining actual examples with scientific insights.
Typically, Charles starts a new chapter with an inspiring anecdote from the real-life world. In this book, these came from the CIA recruiters, the writers’ room of the Big Bang Theory and Netflix’s conversations about culture. Along the way, Charles combines those this with scientific research to conclude with actionable advice, that can be immediately applied.
This approach is definitely one of the traits of Charles’ his writing style, which I appreciate most.
What is my tip?
As mentioned earlier, I am a big fan of Charles his work. Yet, this book did not convince me like his previous books.
This book contained very few eye-openers, the ones about reading non-verbal cues by focusing on observing mood and energy and the ‘Fast Friends procedure’ stuck with me the most.
Because of his previous books, I had expected that Charles would bring something new to the communication spectrum. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, at least not from my perspective.
What is my take-away?
My overall take-away of this book is a nuanced one. I did not find the book groundbreaking, yet there were some nuggets of wisdom that I can apply in my personal and professional life. My key insight of this book lies in its communication style rather than the content: This book is characterized by clarity, storytelling, practicality, and a strong foundation in research. From my perspective, these elements contribute to an engaging and informative reading experience.
When reflecting on this book, there is some correlation to the book of Peter Bregman “Leading with Emotional Courage“. “Supercommunicators” offers more practical communication strategies, whereas “Leading with Emotional Courage” provides a broader exploration of leadership and development, with a focus on courage and authenticity.
Both Charles Duhigg and Peter Bregman offer insights worth exploring, your preference is subject to your own level of affinity and interest with communication.
As part of my objective of this year to read 15 books, I recently finished the book ‘Supercommunicators’ by Charles Duhigg.
Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize-wining investigative journalist. He gained widespread acclaim with his best-selling book “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business”. This book delves into the neuroscience behind habit formation and how habits can be transformed to improve individual and organizational performance.
I have been a big fan of Charles his work, ever since that first book, so I was very curious to deep dive into this new book. In ‘Supercommunicators’, Charles contends that whenever we speak, we are participating in one of three conversations:
- Practical: What is this really about?
- Emotional: How do we feel?
- Social: Who are we?
With his trademark clarity and storytelling, Charles shows his readers how to recognize these different conversations – and how to navigate them more successfully.
“Effective communication is about understanding the practical, emotional, and social dimensions of every conversation”
What did I appreciate most?
One of the things I sincerely appreciate about this book (and Charles’ his previous books) is his writing style. He blends theory with practice, by combining actual examples with scientific insights.
Typically, Charles starts a new chapter with an inspiring anecdote from the real-life world. In this book, these came from the CIA recruiters, the writers’ room of the Big Bang Theory and Netflix’s conversations about culture. Along the way, Charles combines those this with scientific research to conclude with actionable advice, that can be immediately applied.
This approach is definitely one of the traits of Charles’ his writing style, which I appreciate most.
What is my tip?
As mentioned earlier, I am a big fan of Charles his work. Yet, this book did not convince me like his previous books.
This book contained very few eye-openers, the ones about reading non-verbal cues by focusing on observing mood and energy and the ‘Fast Friends procedure’ stuck with me the most.
Because of his previous books, I had expected that Charles would bring something new to the communication spectrum. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, at least not from my perspective.
What is my take-away?
My overall take-away of this book is a nuanced one. I did not find the book groundbreaking, yet there were some nuggets of wisdom that I can apply in my personal and professional life. My key insight of this book lies in its communication style rather than the content: This book is characterized by clarity, storytelling, practicality, and a strong foundation in research. From my perspective, these elements contribute to an engaging and informative reading experience.
When reflecting on this book, there is some correlation to the book of Peter Bregman “Leading with Emotional Courage“. “Supercommunicators” offers more practical communication strategies, whereas “Leading with Emotional Courage” provides a broader exploration of leadership and development, with a focus on courage and authenticity.
Both Charles Duhigg and Peter Bregman offer insights worth exploring, your preference is subject to your own level of affinity and interest with communication.
