Best of
Communication

2011

A Summary of How to Win Friends and Influence People


Wolley Publishing - 2011
    This is a brief summary of how to win friends and influence people

Pitch Anything: An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning the Deal


Oren Klaff - 2011
    Over the past 13 years, he has used his one-of-a- kind method to raise more than $400 million--and now, for the first time, he describes his formula to help you deliver a winning pitch in any business situation.Whether you're selling ideas to investors, pitching a client for new business, or even negotiating for a higher salary, "Pitch Anything "will transform the way you position your ideas.According to Klaff, creating and presenting a great pitch isn't an art--it's a simple science. Applying the latest findings in the field of neuroeconomics, while sharing eye-opening stories of his method in action, Klaff describes how the brain makes decisions and responds to pitches. With this information, you'll remain in complete control of every stage of the pitch process."Pitch Anything" introduces the exclusive STRONG method of pitching, which can be put to use immediately: Setting the Frame Telling the Story Revealing the Intrigue Offering the Prize Nailing the Hookpoint Getting a DecisionOne truly great pitch can improve your career, make you a lot of money--and even change your life. Success is dependent on the method you use, not how hard you try. "Better method, more money," Klaff says. "Much better method, much more money." Klaff is the best in the business because his method is much better than anyone else's. And now it's yours.Apply the tactics and strategies outlined in "Pitch Anything" to engage and persuade your audience--and you'll have more funding and support than you ever thought possible.

Biff: Quick Responses to High Conflict People, Their Hostile Emails, Personal Attacks and Social Media Meltdowns


Bill Eddy - 2011
    We also live in a Culture of Blame and Disrespect in which emails, social media posts, and personal attacks are on the increase. We must learn to respond to people who communicate this way -- people with high-conflict personalities. A BIFF response can be applied in any communication anywhere - on the Internet, in a letter or in person. It can be used at work, earning you respect and success. It can help you get along with difficult family members, friends, neighbors and others anywhere in your life. BIFF was designed to protect you and your reputation by responding quickly and civilly to people who treat you rudely - while being reasonable in return. BIFF stands for Brief, Informative, Friendly and Firm. A BIFF response is easy to remember, but hard to do. It takes practice! This little book gives over 20 examples of BIFF responses for all areas of life - plus additional tips to help you deal with high-conflict people anywhere.

Oooooh . . . Say It Again: Mastering the Fine Art of Verbal Seduction and Aural Sex


Alan Roger Currie - 2011
    Say it Again: Mastering the Fine Art of Verbal Seduction and Aural Sex can be described as 60% self-help and social commentary for men regarding their pursuit of short-term and/or non-monogamous (i.e., "casual") sexual companionship, and 40% detailed examples of erotically explicit dialogue that author Alan Roger Currie used in his real-life verbal seduction experiences with women. Readers will enjoy Currie's no-holds-barred writing style and entertaining, enlightening, and honest advice and wisdom.

The Empowerment Manual: A Guide for Collaborative Groups


Starhawk - 2011
    These collaborative organizations have the unique potential to harness their members' ideals, passions, skills, and knowledge—if they can succeed in getting along together.The Empowerment Manual is a comprehensive manual for groups seeking to organize with shared power and bottom-up leadership to foster vision, trust, accountability, and responsibility. This desperately needed toolkit provides keys to:Understanding group dynamics Facilitating communication and collective decision-making Dealing effectively with difficult people.Drawing on four decades of experience, Starhawk shows how collaborative groups can generate the cooperation, efficacy, and commitment critical to success. Her extensive exploration of group process is woven together with the story of RootBound—a fictional ecovillage mired in conflict—and rounded out with a series of real-life case studies. The included exercises and facilitator toolbox show how to establish the necessary structures, ground rules, and healthy norms. The Empowerment Manual is required reading for anyone who wants to help their group avoid disagreement and disillusionment and become a wellspring of creativity and innovation.Starhawk is the author of eleven previous books including the award-winning Webs of Power. A highly influential voice for global justice and the environment, she is deeply committed to bringing the creative power of spirituality to political activism.

Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance Syndrome in Children: A Guide for Parents, Teachers and Other Professionals


Phil Christie - 2011
    The main characteristic is a continued resistance to the ordinary demands of life through strategies of social manipulation, which originates from an anxiety-driven need to be in control.This straightforward guide is written collaboratively by professionals and parents to give a complete overview of PDA. Starting with an exploration into the syndrome, it goes on to answer the immediate questions triggered when a child is first diagnosed, and uses case examples throughout to illustrate the impact of the condition on different areas of the child's life. Early intervention options and workable strategies for managing PDA positively will make day-to-day life easier for the child, their family and peers. New problems faced in the teenage years and how to assist a successful transition from adolescence to adulthood are also tackled. The book concludes with a valuable resources list.Full of helpful guidance and support, this user-friendly introductory handbook is essential reading for families, carers and anyone who knows a child with PDA.

The ARRL Extra Class License Manual


American Radio Relay League - 2011
    NEW! Spiral Bound Edition (sold separately) Detailed explanations for all questions, including FCC rules The ARRL Extra Class License Manual is your ticket to every privilege granted to Amateur Radio Operators. Our expert instruction will lead you through all of the knowledge you need to pass the exam: rules, specific operating skills and more advanced electronics theory. As an Extra Class licensee, you will have full privileges on all frequencies authorized by the FCC for Amateur Radio. To upgrade to Extra Class you must already hold a General Class license (or have recently passed all of the exams required for a General Class license). Upgrading to an Extra license only requires passing a written examination. Use this book to study for your Extra Class (Element 4) license exam. Every page presents information you will need to pass the exam and become an effective operator. For study purposes, information is presented in small sections: Operating Practices Rules and Regulations Electrical Principles Components and Building Blocks Electronic Circuits Radio Signals and Measurements Radio Modes and Equipment Antennas and Feed Lines Topics in Radio Propagation Safety NEW FEATURE: Online Review and Practice Exams. As you complete each chapter of this book, use ARRL's online Exam Review for Ham Radio to help prepare you for exam day. This web-based service uses the question pool to construct chapter-by-chapter reviews. Once you've finished this book, use the online service to take practice exams with the same number and variety of questions that you'll encounter on exam day. You won't have any surprises on exam day!

Attraction isn't a choice


David DeAngelo - 2011
    

Dialogue Secrets (Screenwriting Blue Books Book 10)


William C. Martell - 2011
    How to remove bad dialogue (and what *is* bad dialogue), First Hand Dialogue, Awful Exposition, Realism, 50 Professional Dialogue Techniques you can use *today*, Subtext, Subtitles, Humor, Sizzling Banter, *Anti-Dialogue*, Speeches, and more. Almost 200 pages of tools you can use to make your dialogue sizzle! Special sections that use dialogue examples from movies as diverse as "Bringing Up Baby", "Psycho", "Double Indemnity", "Notorious", the Oscar nominated "You Can Count On Me", "His Girl Friday", and many more! Professional Screenwriter William C. Martell (19 produced films) shares professional dialogue techniques, showing you step-by-step how to write great dialogue for your screenplay.

The Well-Spoken Thesaurus: The Most Powerful Ways to Say Everyday Words and Phrases


Tom Heehler - 2011
    The fear of mispronouncing or misusing complex words is real and leaves many of us consigned to the lower levels* of the English Language. The secret to eloquence, however, lies in simplicity—the ability to use ordinary words in extraordinary ways.The Well-Spoken Thesaurus is your guide to eloquence, replacing the ordinary with the extraordinary. While a common thesaurus provides only synonyms as mere word-for-word equivalents, The Well-Spoken Thesaurus is filled with* dynamic reinventions of standard words and phrases.*lofty word, pretentious word *know what it is to *lower reaches, lower echelons *awash in, instilled with, dense with, rich in

Art & Agenda: Political Art and Activism


Amy E. Bieber - 2011
    It presents new visual concepts and commentaries that are being used to represent and communicate emotionally charged topics, thereby bringing them onto local political and social agendas in a way far more powerful than words alone. It looks at how art is not only reflecting and setting agendas, but also how it is influencing political reaction. Consequently, Art & Agenda is not only a perceptive documentation of current urban interventions, installations, performances, sculptures, and paintings by more than 100 young and established artists, but also points to future forms of political discourse.

Social Rules for Kids: The Top 100 Social Rules Kids Need to Succeed


Susan Diamond - 2011
    Social Rules for Kids - The Top 100 Social Rules Kids Need to Succeed helps open the door of communication between parent and child by addressing 100 social rules for home, school, and the community. Using simple, easy-to- follow rules covering topics such as body language, manners, feelings and more, this book aims to make student's lives easier and more successful by outlining specific ways to interact with others on a daily basis.

The Bully-Free Workplace


Gary Namie - 2011
    Managers will learn how and why to stop bullying; prepare executives to lead the campaign and to resist undermining efforts of subordinates; and create a new, positive role for human resources. Outlining the required steps, The Bullying-Free Workplace includes information on how to create a preventive policy that brings consequences, like never before, when violated. The authors discourage half-hearted, short-term fixes that are prevalent today, and present their signature Blueprint methodology to successfully protect employee health and eradicate the psychological violence from organizations.

The Heretic's Guide to Best Practices: The Reality of Managing Complex Problems in Organisations


Paul Culmsee - 2011
    But reality paints a far different picture, which practitioners are often reluctant to discuss.In "The Heretic's Guide to Best Practices," authors Paul Culmsee and Kailash Awati provide a plethora of practical techniques to help convert colleagues or managers who are firm believers in best practices. Through applicable anecdotes, references to pop culture, and examples from case studies, Culmsee and Awati offer practical advice that benefits everyone in the organisation-from frontline employees to senior executives.A witty yet rigorous journey through the seedy underbelly of organisational problem solving, "The Heretic's Guide to Best Practices" pinpoints the reasons why best practices don't work as advertised and what can be done about it. Learn why conventional wisdom is not always wise and discover how the promise of best practices can be delivered for you and your organisation.

Blah Blah Blah: What To Do When Words Don't Work


Dan Roam - 2011
    Powerful as words are, we fool ourselves when we think our words alone can detect, describe, and defuse the multifaceted problems of today. They can't-and that's bad, because words have become our default thinking tool.The Solution: This book offers a way out of blah-blah-blah. It's called "Vivid Thinking."In Dan Roam's first acclaimed book, The Back of the Napkin, he taught readers how to solve problems and sell ideas by drawing simple pictures. Now he proves that Vivid Thinking is even more powerful. This technique combines our verbal and visual minds so that we can think and learn more quickly, teach and inspire our colleagues, and enjoy and share ideas in a whole new way.The Destination: No more blah-blah-blah. Through Vivid Thinking, we can make the most complicated subjects suddenly crystal clear. Whether trying to understand a Harvard Business School class, or what went down in the Conan versus Leno battle for late-night TV, or what Einstein thought about relativity, Vivid Thinking provides a way to clarify anything.Through dozens of guided examples, Roam proves that anyone can apply this systematic approach, from leftbrain types who hate to draw to right-brainers who hate to write. This isn't just a book about improving communications, presentations, and ideation; it's about removing the blah-blah- blah from your life for good.

Photojournalism: 150 Years of Outstanding Press Photography


Reuel Golden - 2011
    Photojournalism presents the extraordinary history of this indispensable means of reporting. Starting with some of the first key figures, such as Roger Fenton, who photographed the Crimean War with a bulky large-format camera, it moves through the decades, from the Great Depression to space missions, the dismantling of the Berlin Wall, and the war in Iraq--all illustrated with stirring images from the world's greatest photojournalists.

That's a Great Question: Provocative Questions. Practical Results.


Greg Bustin - 2011
    and their life. Practical results.About the AuthorGreg Bustin helps leaders increase their effectiveness. He led the Dallas office of an international consulting firm to unprecedented levels of success before founding his own management consultancy. Today, he's a sought-after speaker on leadership, strategy and accountability, and he's delivered nearly 200 workshops throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe and led more than 150 strategic planning sessions for companies of all sizes in dozens of industries. He leads three think tanks for successful executives committed to improving their performance and has conducted more than 1,600 executive coaching sessions. He is the author of "Lead the Way" and "Take Charge!"

Who Switched Off Your Brain?: Solving the Mystery of He Said / She Said


Caroline Leaf - 2011
    Caroline Leaf shows how men and women have been created to complement one another through their own unique strengths.Men and women are not the same - we don't think the same, talk the same or act the same. These differences aren't a result of our environments and our upbringing - they're built in by design.More than a marriage or relationship book, "Who Switched Off Your Brain? "is filled with key insights that will help you better undrstand the often mysterious behavior of the opposite sex and practical tips that will quickly improve your relationships.

Globalization and Media: Global Village of Babel


Jack Lule - 2011
    Indeed, Jack Lule convincingly shows that globalization could not have occurred without media. From earliest times, humans have used media to explore, settle, and globalize their world. In our day, media have made the world progressively "smaller" as nations and cultures come into increasing contact. Decades ago Marshall McLuhan prophesied that media technology would transform the world into a "global village." Slowly, fitfully, his vision is being fulfilled. The global village, however, is not the blissful utopia that McLuhan predicted. Nor, in a more modern formulation, is the world flat, with playing fields leveled and opportunities for all. Instead, Lule argues, globalization and media are combining to create a divided world of gated communities and ghettos, borders and boundaries, suffering and surfeit, beauty and decay. By breaking down the economic, cultural, and political impact of media, and through a rich set of case studies from around the globe, the author describes a global village of Babel-invoking the biblical town punished for its vanity by seeing its citizens scattered, its language confounded, and its destiny shaped by strife.

Coaching for Transformation: Pathways to Ignite Personal & Social Change


Virginia Kellogg - 2011
    The authors explore not only how the coach empowers clients to support personal growth but also social change. The self-awareness tools awaken passion that helps clients identify their deepest yearning and make a difference in the world. Rather than a mere "how-to" manual, this book presents a model of coaching from the inside out, examining the relationship of mind, heart, body and spirit in both the coach and the client. The authors present five pathways to transformation: exploring needs and values experiencing the moment envisioning the future expanding the view embracing the shadow Each pathway reinvigorates passion and supports commitment to new actions based on self-alignment. The book is filled with ways to develop empathic presence and empower people to take action based on self-intimacy. Coaching for Transformation presents simple, profound tools for calling out the power of the people we coach. By developing your "coach's stand" (a courageous, empowered set of physical, mental and spiritual qualities that inspire clients) you create a unique style that includes both compassionate and fierce coaching. The real value of this book lies in the authors' commitment to take coaching out into the world beyond people with power and privilege. As you step into the Coaching for Transformation process, you create sacred relationships with your clients that take them to the core of their being. These relationships are the foundation for their discovery of who they are, what they want and how they contribute to their family, workplace, community and the world. This holistic approach includes 24 coaching skills that help clients identify and stretch toward goals that create a better world. The coaching process results in empowerment and lasting change. The authors are successful coaches who offer a transformative 9-month coaching certification program through their organization, Leadership that Works. They are pioneers in bringing coaching to nonprofits and social activists. Among their clients are leaders in the social sector, philanthropists, corporate executives, universities and individuals from all walks of life. Chapters include: Section I: Getting Started 1. Welcome to Coaching 2. Cultivating Presence 3. Core Skills -The Coach's Palette 4. Calling out the Power Section II: Pathways to Alignment 5. Exploring Needs and Values 6. Experiencing the Moment 7. Envisioning the Future 8. Expanding the View 9. Embracing the Shadow Section III: Making Visions Real 10. Strategy in Action 11. The Business of Coaching Section IV: Evolution of Coaching 12. Contributions to Coaching 13. Cross Cultural Coaching 14. Power, Privilege and Coaching 15. Coaching in Organizations 16. Coaching for Social Change 17. Soul and Spirit Most valuable of all are the examples of coaching dialogues that demonstrate the skills and processes that lead to transformation. These real examples make it easy to start using the skills right away.

Say This--NOT THAT! Power Phrases designed to help you communicate with more power, tact, and finesse, along with danger phrases to avoid at all costs (Say This--NOT THAT!! Book 1)


Dan O'Connor - 2011
    With “Say This, Not That,” you can skip right to the punch and learn the danger phrases to avoid—the ones that are sabotaging your message, and the power phrases to use—the ones that will enable you to deliver your message with clarity and effectiveness—the ones that will move you to a new communication level and put you in the category of savvy communicator. No more skimming through pages to find what you’re looking for--every page has useful tools you’ll be able to apply immediately, and examples of each phrase in use. Furthermore, this program comes complete with quick-reference reminder cards you can have at-the-ready, so you can really make these techniques your own—not just for one enthusiastic moment, but forever!What will you find in Say This Not That?1- The words! Most chapters deal with one specific danger phrase to be eliminated from your verbal repertoire and one specific power phrase to replace it. However, since not all phrases we’ll be covering have exact opposites, you’ll also find chapters that deal solely with danger phrases to be purged from usage, and other chapters that deal solely with power phrases that should be added to your every day communication arsenal, to infuse your speech with punch and power.2- The theory--A great deal of research has gone into determining the effect of words on the listener. You’ll learn the reasons—the “why” of every lesson. 3- Examples--You’ll find examples of situations in which the phrases should or should not be used, as well as variations of the words under discussion. 4- Quick reference cards--The number of the quick-reference card that accompanies each lesson. In the back of this book you’ll find the quick-reference card. If you’re using an e-reader, you can simply turn to that page and keep it open to your phrase for the day, and if you’d like to print out these cards.It’s as easy as that to achieve new levels of communication success!“Thank you, Dan, for giving me the words! I didn’t know it could be so easy to improve my communication skills. I carry your book with me wherever I go, and use the power phrases both at work and at home. Because of your training, I have a better relationship with my boss, my husband, and even my teenagers! I just can’t thank you enough.” -Marsha Thompson, Washington DC, USA

The New Reagan Revolution: How Ronald Reagan's Principles Can Restore America's Greatness


Michael Reagan - 2011
    In his famous 1976 speech at the Republican National Convention, Ronald Reagan helped define a way forward and strengthened the Republican Party. As we stand at a crossroad once again, we are fortunate to have a blueprint for restoring America's greatness. Reagan has given us the principles to succeed. This book is not merely a diagnosis of our nation's ills but a prescription to heal our nation, rooted in the words and principles of Ronald Reagan. In these pages, Michael Reagan shares the plan his father developed over years of study, observation, and reflection. It is the plan he announced to the nation, straight from his heart, one summer evening during America's two hundredth year. It is the plan he put into action during his eight years in office as one of the most effective presidents of the twentieth century, and it is the plan we can use today to help return America to its former greatness, soundness, and prosperity.

The User's Guide to Sleight of Mouth


Doug O'Brien - 2011
    

HBR's Must Reads Digital Boxed Set (6 Books)


Various - 2011
    Now you can have them—in a boxed set of HBR’s Must Reads.This six-title collection includes only the most critical articles from the world’s top management experts, curated from Harvard Business Review’s rich archives. We’ve done the work of selecting them so you won’t have to. From leadership and strategy to managing yourself and others, HBR’s Must Reads offer foundational articles on essential business topics to help you maximize your organization’s performance and your own.The series includes:HBR’s 10 Must Reads: The EssentialsThis book brings together the best thinking from management’s most influential experts. Arm yourself with the insights of Michael Porter on competitive advantage, John Kotter on leading change, Daniel Goleman on emotional intelligence, Peter Drucker on managing your career, Clayton Christensen on disruptive innovation, Tom Davenport on analytics, Robert Kaplan and David Norton on measuring strategy with the “balanced scorecard,” Rosabeth Moss Kanter on innovation, Ted Levitt on marketing, and C.K. Prahalad and Gary Hamel on core competence. Once you’ve read these definitive articles, you can delve into each core topic the series explores: managing yourself, managing people, leadership, strategy, and change management.HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Managing YourselfThe path to your professional success starts with a critical look in the mirror. Here’s how to stay engaged throughout your 50-year work life, tap into your deepest values, solicit candid feedback, replenish your physical and mental energy, and rebound from tough times. This book includes the bonus article “How Will You Measure Your Life?” by Clayton M. Christensen.HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Managing PeopleManaging your employees is fraught with challenges, even if you’re a seasoned pro. Boost their performance by tailoring your management styles to their temperaments, motivating with responsibility rather than money, fostering trust through solicited input, giving rookie managers the support they need, and building high-performing teams.HBR’s 10 Must Reads on LeadershipAre you an extraordinary leader—or just a good manager? Learn how to motivate others to excel, build your team’s confidence, set direction, encourage smart risk-taking, credit others for your success, and draw strength from adversity.HBR’s 10 Must Reads on StrategyIs your company spending too much time on strategy development, with too little to show for it? Discover what it takes to distinguish your company from rivals, clarify what it will (and won’t) do, create blue oceans of uncontested market space, and make your priorities explicit so employees can realize your vision.HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Change ManagementMost companies’ change initiatives fail—but yours can beat the odds. Learn how to overcome addiction to the status quo, establish a sense of urgency, mobilize commitment and resources, silence naysayers, minimize the pain of change, and motivate change even when business is good.

Harvard Business Review on Communicating Effectively


Various - 2011
    Here are 10 inspiring and useful perspectives, all in one place.This collection of HBR articles will help you:- Pitch your brilliant idea successfully- Connect with your audience- Establish credibility- Inspire others to realize your vision- Adapt to your listeners' decision-making styles- Frame goals around common interests- Build consensus and win concessions- Neutralize stressful conversations

Am I Being Kind: How Asking One Simple Question Can Change Your Life...and Your World


Michael J. Chase - 2011
    Awakening the reader like caffeine for the heart, am I being kind revives the spirit and blazes a direct path to a more peaceful and kindhearted world. In this captivating guide to personal transformation, author and inspirational speaker Michael J. Chase reveals how one simple question has the power to change your life and the lives of those around you. As you ask, "am I being kind" in seven vital areas of your life, you discover the secret to creating unlimited joy, inner peace, and the life you've always dreamed of. Having experienced the "art of unkindness" throughout much of his life, Michael shares his own journey of self-discovery and the lessons learned from unlikely spiritual teachers along the way. Through riveting true stories and a unique step-by-step program, am I being kind shows you how the astonishing power of kindness can change your heart, your life, and ultimately, your world.

Social BPM: Work, Planning and Collaboration Under the Impact of Social Technology


Keith D. Swenson - 2011
    The collaboration and communication patterns that are now increasingly referred to as "social computing" were also fundamental to the BPM and workflow models of the early 1990s. Yet it has been the recent explosion of social computing and accompanying success of social production, from Linux to Wikipedia, and Facebook to Twitter, which have had the most dramatic impact on collaboration in business environments.Today we see the transformation of both the look and feel of BPM technologies along the lines of social media, as well as the increasing adoption of social tools and techniques democratizing process development and design. It is along these two trend lines; the evolution of system interfaces and the increased engagement of stakeholders in process improvement, that Social BPM has taken shape.Table of Contents The Quantum Organization: How Social Technology will Displace the Newto-nian view The Role of Trust and Reputation in Social BPM Change Management Processes How to Link BPM Governance and Social Collaboration through an Adaptive Paradigm Leveraging Social BPM for Enterprise Transformation BPM, Social Technology, Collaboration and the Workplace of the Future A Model-Driven Approach to Social BPM Applications How Social Technologies Enhance the BPM Experience for all Partici-pants Voice of the Network Through Social BPM Evidence-Based Service; Listening to Customers to Improve Customer-Service Processes Taking Channel and Distribution Management Social and Contextual Social Technology Makes the World a Better Place: Pro Bono BPM Dynamic Clinical Pathways Adaptive Case Management for Medical Profes-sionals A Case Study of BPM in a Kaizen Environment Next Generation Social Media: Alignment of Business Processes & Social In-telligence Next Generation BPM Suites: Social and Collaborative Directories and Appendices include Glossary of Social BPM Terms

Study Skills Essentials: Oxford Graduates Reveal Their Study Tactics, Essay Secrets and Exam Advice


Patrick McMurray - 2011
    Drawing on the experience of twenty Oxford graduates, Study Skills Essentials gives an extremely useful insight into the study and exam techniques that work in the real world. With the right tactics it is very possible to get excellent results while still actually having a life. This book will be amazingly useful for students at university and in the later years of school. Introduction: How to do really well at exams 1: Finding out what they want to see 2: How to never waste a moment's work 3: Organising your success 4: Taking notes and what to do with them 5: Perfect essays made easy 6: Coursework and presentations 7: Science: your formula for success 8: Languages: say bonjour to better grades 9: The vital importance of having fun 10: Understanding 11: How to learn stuff 12: Exam technique (preparing for success) 13: Exam technique (giving them what they want) 14: After the exam (you've done it!)

Meditation for Two: Searching for and Finding Communion with the Horse


Dominique Barbier - 2011
    Along with gorgeous photographs and uplifting poetry, Dominique Barbier's extraordinary ability to communicate with and improve the lives of horses and riders is revealed through a training philosophy steeped in gentleness and compassion.

The Routledge Handbook of Discourse Analysis


James Paul Gee - 2011
    The handbook is divided into six sections: Approaches to Discourse Analysis, Register and Genre, Developments in Spoken Discourse, Educational Applications, Institutional Applications and Identity, Culture and Discourse.The chapters are written by a wide range of contributors from around the world, each a leading researcher in their respective field. All chapters have been closely edited by James Paul Gee and Michael Handford. With a focus on the application of Discourse Analysis to real-life problems, the contributors introduce the reader to a topic, and analyse authentic data.The Routledge Handbook of Discourse Analysis is vital reading for linguistics students as well as students of communication and cultural studies, social psychology and anthropology.

Consensus-Oriented Decision-Making: The CODM Model for Facilitating Groups to Widespread Agreement


Tim Hartnett - 2011
    Groups you are part of will function better as a result.-- Peggy Holman, author, Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into OpportunityFor any group or organization to function effectively, it must be able to make decisions well. Consensus-Oriented Decision-Making is the first book to offer groups (and group facilitators) a clear and efficient path to generating widespread agreement while fostering full participation and true collaboration.Poised to become the new standard for group facilitation, Consensus-Oriented Decision-Making combines:Deep insight into complex group dynamicsEffective conflict resolution techniquesPowerful communication skillsGroups using this simple, step-by-step approach experience increased cohesion and commitment and stronger relationships as a result of their successful cooperation.Incorporating the principles of collaboration, inclusion, empathy, and open-mindedness, the consensus-oriented decision-making (CODM) process encourages shared ownership of group decisions. The method can be used in any group situation, regardless of whether the final decision-making power rests with a single person or team, a vote of members, or unanimity.Business, government, nonprofit, social, and community organizations can all benefit from Consensus-Oriented Decision-Making. Whether you are a designated facilitator or an active participant, understanding this powerful framework will help you contribute to the success of your group through achieving maximum participation and efficiency, a clearer decision-making process, better decisions, and improved group dynamics.Tim Hartnett, PhD, is a group facilitator and mediator who blends extensive knowledge of non-violent communication with insightful understanding of group dynamics and effective techniques for conflict resolution.

Smarter Selling: How to Grow Sales by Building Trusted Relationships


Keith Dugdale - 2011
    Whatever you are selling, this book will help you do it better, and feel better about doing it. By switching your focus from the hard sell to building more trust and adding more value, you will end up not just with more satisfied customers, but with more sales as well.

Strategies for Building Successful Relationships with People on the Autism Spectrum: Let's Relate!


Brian R. King - 2011
    Sharing inspirational personal experiences and practical advice, Brian R. King shows how to get communication working for everyone.

Science in Medieval Jewish Cultures


Gad Freudenthal - 2011
    Many medieval Jews, whether living in Islamic or Christian civilizations, joined Maimonides in accepting the rationalist philosophical-scientific tradition and appropriated extensive bodies of scientific knowledge in various disciplines: astronomy, astrology, mathematics, logic, physics, meteorology, biology, psychology, science of language and medicine. The appropriated texts Ai in the original or in Hebrew translation Ai were the starting points for Jews' own contributions to medieval science and also informed other literary genres: religious-philosophical works, biblical commentaries and even Halakhic (legal) discussions. This volume's essays will provide readers with background knowledge of medieval scientific thought necessary to properly understand canonical Jewish scientific texts. Its breadth reflects the number and diversity of Jewish cultures in the Middle Ages and the necessity of considering the fortunes of science in each within its specific context.

The Network Is Your Customer: Five Strategies to Thrive in a Digital Age


David L. Rogers - 2011
    Buy it. Learn from it. Succeed with it."—Jeff Jarvis, author of What Would Google Do "This is the stuff that every business and nonprofit needs to embrace if they're going to succeed in a changing world."—Vivian Schiller, CEO of NPR With clear analysis and practical frameworks, this book provides a strategic guide that any business or nonprofit can use to succeed in the digital age.Marketing expert David Rogers examines how digital technologies—from smartphones to social networks—connect us in frameworks that transform our relationships to business and each other. To thrive today, organizations need new strategies—strategies designed for customer networks.Rogers offers five strategies that any business can use to create new value:ACCESS—be faster, be easier, be everywhere, be always onENGAGE—become a source of valued contentCUSTOMIZE—make your offering adaptable to your customer's needsCONNECT—become a part of your customers' conversationsCOLLABORATE—involve your customers at every stage of your enterpriseRogers explains these five strategies with over 100 cases from every type and size of business—from shoes to news, and software to healthcare. In The Network Is Your Customer, he shows:How Apple harnessed a host of collaborators to write apps for its iPhoneHow IBM designed a videogame to help sell its enterprise softwareHow Ford Motors inspired an online community to build brand awareness for its new Fiesta...and countless other cases from consumer, b2b, and nonprofit categories. The book outlines a process for planning and implementing a customer network strategy to match your customers, your business, and your objectives—whether you need to drive sales, to enhance innovation, to reduce costs, to gain customer insight, or to build breakthrough products and services. Because today, whatever your goals and whatever your business, the network is your customer.

The Seeds of Love: Growing Mindful Relationships


Jerry Braza - 2011
    Through the development of the practice of mindfulness, and using its tools to maintain a state of awareness and openness to self and others. Readers will learn how to nurture such seeds as compassion, joy and generosity and to use personal challenges such as jealousy, anger and self doubt as a means of growth. Using precepts from many faiths and traditions, The Seeds of Love fosters the practice of using simple, basic actions to reach the best within ourselves and share it with those around us. It will be an invaluable guide to anyone seeking deeper and more conscious relationships.

Becoming a Change Artist


Gerald M. Weinberg - 2011
    Weinberg illustrates how skilled people (Change Artists) work to create a supportive environment for software engineering —an environment in which your organization can realize long-lasting gains in quality and productivity by learning the artistry of managing change.As the author argues, the history of software engineering is riddled with failed attempts to improve quality and productivity without first creating a supportive environment. Many managers spend their money on tools, methodologies, outsourcing, training, and application packages, but they rarely spend anything to improve or to remove the leaders who created those situations in the first place.From systems thinking to project management to technology transfer to the interaction of culture and process, Becoming a Change Artist analyzes models of how change really happens, and how change artistry creates the environment for all other changes.

Nihongo Notes Vol. 1: Language and Culture


Osamu Mizutani - 2011
    1 - Language and Culture”is a book that is published by The Japan Times for learners with an elementary Japanese level. This 208-page textbook will allow you to master the Japanese grammar. Instructions in English are provided in this textbook.The first volume of this two-part collection explores the socio-cultural context of greetings and other expressions used in everyday life from the perspective of non-native people. This is an excellent book for anyone interested in learning more about the Japanese language and culture.

Politeness in East Asia


Dániel Z. Kádár - 2011
    Yet politeness is an impressively complex linguistic process, and studying it can tell us a lot about the social and cultural values of social groups or even a whole society, helping us to understand how humans 'encode' states of mind in their words. The traditional, stereotypical view is that people in East Asian cultures are indirect, deferential and extremely polite - sometimes more polite than seems necessary. This revealing book takes a fresh look at the phenomenon, showing that the situation is far more complex than these stereotypes would suggest. Taking examples from Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and Singaporean Chinese, it shows how politeness differs across countries, but also across social groups and subgroups. The first comprehensive study of the subject, this book is essential reading for those interested in intercultural communication, linguistics and East Asian languages.

Getting It: Withness-Thinking and the Dialogical-- In Practice


John Shotter - 2011
    Through his fluency in the terrain of the dialogical he invites us, and his trains of thought tell us how, to think with so as to inquire into and approach these challenges in ways that increase the opportunity for never imagined possibilities of how we might act next. Not just any kind of thinking: thinking with involves a special way of being with, responding with and doing with-participating spontaneously in the moment rather than thinking about for or to another person as an object of study or mastery.

The Ass Is A Poor Receptacle For The Head: Why Democrats Suck At Communication, And How They Could Improve


Barry Eisler - 2011
    In this hilarious and hard-hitting essay (about 10,000 words, or about 50 pages in paper), best-selling novelist and political blogger Barry Eisler draws on his expertise in narrative, his CIA training in persuasion, his time as an international intellectual property lawyer, and his background in technology marketing to offer Democrats some sound advice on how to improve their communications strategy. Borrowing principles from judo and boxing; using examples from advertising, movies, plays, speeches, and debates; and offering case studies of actual policy rollout successes and disasters, Eisler encourages Democrats to force Republicans to fight on Democratic terms, to use Republicans' own moves against them, and to not just slip a punch, but to hammer their opponents into a rhetorical corner and knock them the hell out.

God Is in the Small Stuff for Changing Times: Let God Help You Thrive in a Difficult World


Bruce Bickel - 2011
    That’s why Bruce & Stan wrote God Is in the Small Stuff for Changing Times. The latest entry in the million-selling Small Stuff series, Changing Times addresses the anxieties and uncertainties of the 21st century, reminding you that whatever happens, God is there and ready to help. Basing this book on the Bible’s letter of James, Bruce and Stan share wisdom on joy in trials, perseverance, demonstrating faith, handling money, praying—and much more—in their trademark lighthearted yet thought-provoking style. For help and hope, read God Is in the Small Stuff for Changing Times!

The Routledge Handbook of Language and Intercultural Communication


Jane Jackson - 2011
    The Handbook is structured in five sections and covers historical perspectives, core issues and topics, and new debates in the field, with a particular focus on the language dimension. Among the key themes addressed are: the foundation of intercultural communication; core themes and issues; putting intercultural communication theory into practice; new debates and future directions. The Handbook includes an introduction and overview by the editor, which provides readers with an indication of the focus of each section and chapter.The Routledge Handbook of Language and Intercultural Communication is the ideal resource for advanced undergraduates and postgraduate students of applied linguistics, TESOL/TEFL and communication studies.

Communication Uncovered: General Semantics and Media Ecology


Corey Anton - 2011
    The collection, in addition to advancing and integrating the fields of media ecology and general semantics, will be of great interest to people who are concerned over the changing role of reading and literacy in contemporary life. A stimulating and provocative book having wide relevance to scholars and students in the areas of semiotics, rhetorical theory, orality/literacy studies, philosophy of communication, pedagogical theory, and communication theory, Communication Uncovered offers countless insights and broad-based orientations regarding the nature of language, linguistic and communicative habits, communication technologies, and symbolic practices more generally. This is a "must have" resource for anyone interested in multidisciplinary communication theory.

How To Talk To Anyone


Fadi Hiyari - 2011
    Such gatherings are fertile places for you to meet new people and make new friends. Simply put, people who participate in similar gatherings and who has warm people skills are considered visible and the ones who do not are simply invisible.Gaining new friends and developing relationships with clients will enhance your image and open for you doors that you never thought possible.So chickening out and deciding to avoid such functions is not an option.What is the other option then?The other option is for you to develop your skills. I am glad when I say that acquiring people’s skills, like the art of talking to anyone any time, is something you can quickly develop.All you need is faith, courage and some guidance. The more you do it the better you become at it until eventually you will become the person that others look at in parties and functions and silently wish that they are as confident as you are.I am sure that you have noticed people who glow in parties. They look so confident that people are just drawn into them. They handle themselves with grace and they always seem to have the right words to say. They shower everyone in a magical smile and enjoy themselves in such gatherings.Well, the good news is that you can be like one of those people too.First of all you need a plan. How are you going to approach such gatherings? How do you handle yourself? What are the right things to do? What are the things to avoid? Then you need to practice what you learn. And little by little, you are going to develop this skill.This skill is going to open doors for you:- You are going to get the promotion you want- Land the job you need- Enhance your networking skills- Increase your client base- Lead your team better- Gather your family around you- Make new friendsThe list goes on and on.Experience shows that any person can develop any skill. To develop any skill you need to know what the specifics are. What steps to follow and which ones to avoid. What are the best ways to handle the situation. And after gaining this knowledge you would need to practice what you learn to hone your skills and become better. Persistence is the key.In this ebook you will learn:- Why developing the art of small talk is so important- Why do most people fear starting a conversation with strangers- The 5 step system to handling yourself in parties and functions- How to initiate a conversation- The most important moment in a conversation- How to keep the conversation flowing- The three components of effective listening- The 8 conversation patterns to be avoided- The body language to show and use- The body language to avoid- Four effective strategies to gracefully exiting a conversationAfter going through this ebook you will develop insights into the process and gain new confidence that will enable you to handle your next function with ease and confidence. As an aspiring person with big ambition, you need to develop all the skills that will guarantee your success. Developing the skill of talking to anyone is one of the most important skills that will open doors for you. Now we put the finest tips and tricks in your hands.Improve your conversation skills and Enjoy your success to come with "How to Talk To Anyone" ebook.

Explaining Individual Differences in Reading: Theory and Evidence (New Directions in Communication Disorders Research)


Susan A. Brady - 2011
    In this volume, the authors of 11 chapters report on a wide array of current research topics, examining the scope, limits and implications of a phonological theory.The chapters are organized in four sections. The first concerns the nature of the relations between script and speech that make reading possible, considering how different theories of phonology may illuminate the implication of these relations for reading development and skill. The second set of chapters focuses on phonological factors in reading acquisition that pertain to early language development, effects of dialect, the role of instruction, and orthographic learning. The third section identifies factors beyond the phonological that may influence success in learning to read by examining cognitive limitations that are sometimes co-morbid with reading disabilities, contrasting the profiles of specific language impairment and dyslexia, and considering the impact of particular languages and orthographies on language acquisition. Finally, in the fourth section, behavioral-genetic and neurological methods are used to further develop explanations of reading differences and early literacy development.The volume is an essential resource for researchers interested in the cognitive foundations of reading and literacy, language and communication disorders, or psycholinguistics; and those working in reading disabilities, learning disabilities, special education, and the teaching of reading.

How To Write A Better Thesis


Paul Gruba - 2011
    As in the hugely successful previous editions, the emphasis is still firmly on structure. Having supervised countless postgraduate students and seen all the pitfalls, the authors are convinced that clear and logical structure is the key to a good thesis. Concrete examples of common structural problems are given, and offer numerous devices, tricks and tests by which to avoid them. You may be one of the many researchers who has yet to discover just how much computer software can do for you. This book spells it out clearly, and offers checklists to help you stay on track. The revolution it highlights is that the smart researcher can now treat writing not as the last chore but as part of the research process itself.

Beyond Powerful Radio: A Communicator's Guide to the Internet Age-News, Talk, Information & Personality for Broadcasting, Podcasting, Internet, Radio


Valerie Geller - 2011
    This practical and easy-to-read book, filled with bullet lists, offers techniques to learn everything from how to produce and host a show, to news gathering, coverage of investigative and breaking stories, writing and delivering the commercial copy and selling the air time. With contributions from over 100 top experts across all broadcast fields, Beyond Powerful Radio offers techniques, advice and lessons to build original programming, for news, programming, talk shows, producers, citizen journalism, copy writing, sales, commercials, promotions, production, research, fundraising, and more.Plus: Tips to assemble a winning team; to develop, build, and market your brand; get your next job in broadcasting, effectively promote your product; increase sales; write and produce commercials; raise money with your station; deal with creative burnout and manage high ego talent; and to research and grow your audience.Never be boring! Get, keep, and grow audiences through powerful personality, storytelling, and focus across any format. Tried-and-true broadcast techniques apply to the myriad forms of audio broadcast available today, including Web radio and podcasting. While the technology and delivery systems change, the one constant is content! Listeners, viewers, and surfers want to be entertained, informed, inspired, persuaded, and connected with powerful personalities, and storytellers.A full Instructor Manual is available with complete lesson plans for broadcast instructors - course includes Audio Production/Radio Programming/Management/Broadcast Journalism. The Instructor Manual is available for download here: http: //routledgetextbooks.com/textbooks/inst...

A Helping Hand: Mediation with Nonviolent Communication


Liv Larsson - 2011
    This book, step by step, teaches you how to become an effective mediator. Add practice, practice, practice (and some self-reflection), and you will soon celebrate your first successes in helping people to connect, whether you are a parent, teacher, business manager, counselor or peace worker. Apart from that, you will get a good foundation in Marshall Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication (NVC), on which this very down-to-earth approach to mediation is based upon, and lots of answers to practical questions. Take the chance to learn mediation from Liv Larsson, an experienced trainer who has taught peacemakers in violent conflicts in Thailand and Sri Lanka (and to many others in Western countries) and who applies the very same skills to solve conflicts in her family

Organizational Change


Laurie K. Lewis - 2011
    Laurie Lewis ties together the disparate literatures in management, education, organizational sociology, and communication to explore how the practices and processes of communication work in real-world cases of change implementation. Gives a bold and comprehensive overview of communication research and ideas on change and those who bring it about Fills in an important piece of the applied communication puzzle as it relates to organizations Illustrated with student friendly, real life case studies from organizations, including organizational mergers, governmental or nonprofit policy or procedural implementation, or technological innovation Winner of the 2011 Organizational Communication NCA Division Book of the Year

Internet and Surveillance: The Challenges of Web 2.0 and Social Media


Christian Fuchs - 2011
    The notion of "Web 2.0", social software, and social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace have emerged in this context. With such platforms comes the massive provision and storage of personal data that are systematically evaluated, marketed, and used for targeting users with advertising. In a world of global economic competition, economic crisis, and fear of terrorism after 9/11, both corporations and state institutions have a growing interest in accessing this personal data. Here, contributors explore this changing landscape by addressing topics such as commercial data collection by advertising, consumer sites and interactive media; self-disclosure in the social web; surveillance of file-sharers; privacy in the age of the internet; civil watch-surveillance on social networking sites; and networked interactive surveillance in transnational space. This book is a result of a research action launched by the intergovernmental network COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).

Mind your Gramma


Yvonne Morrison - 2011
    Gramma asks me about my day, and I say, "Me and my friend played soccer." She says, "My friend and I played soccer." I say, "At your age?" Kids and adults alike will laugh aloud at this series of hilarious misconstructions between a child and her grandmother as Gramma corrects the child's grammar!

Single? It's Not You, It's Your Technique


Alisa Goodwin Snell - 2011
    Additionally, they fear making mistakes, settling, or becoming a victim of abuse, deception, infidelity, addiction, or abandonment.Without a clear understanding of how to navigate modern dating and its risk, singles often feel pressure to settle for what's immediately available or, instead, avoid dating and commitment while looking for some elusive sign to indicate they've found the right relationship. Unfortunately, without the knowledge, sklls, and experiences necessary to succeed, instead of securing commitment from the kind of people they really want to date, they often end up in the too-nice, just-friends, or good-for-now traps.The dating advice of friends and family, though well meaning, often leaves them frustrated and confused, simply because such advice lacks practical application.All the while, singles silently fear that something must be wrong with them, which seems the only explanation.To this, Alisa Goodwin Snell unequivocally declares: It's not you, it's your technique.

Learning Chinese, Turning Chinese: Challenges to Becoming Sinophone in a Globalised World


Edward McDonald - 2011
    He takes the viewpoint of the university student of Chinese with the ultimate goal of becoming 'sinophone': that is, developing a fluency and facility at operating in Chinese-language contexts comparable to their own mother tongue. While the entry point for most potential sinophones is the Chinese language classroom, the kinds of "language" and "culture" on offer there are rarely questioned, and the links between the forms of the language and the situations in which they may be used are rarely drawn. The author's explorations of Chinese studies illustrate the crucial link between becoming sinophone and developing a sinophone identity - learning Chinese and turning Chinese.Including chapters on:relating text to context in learning Chinese the social and political contexts of language learning myths about Chinese characters language reform and nationalism in modern China critical discourse analysis of popular culture ethnicity and identity in language learning.This book will be invaluable for all Chinese language students and teachers, and those with an interest in Chinese linguistics, linguistic anthropology, critical discourse analysis, and language education.Edward McDonald is currently Lecturer in Chinese at the University of Auckland, and has taught Chinese language, music, linguistics and semiotics at universities in Australia, China, and Singapore.

Make the Sale Happen Before Lunch: 50 Cut-To-The-Chase Strategies for Getting the Business Results You Want


Stephan Schiffman - 2011
    In Make the Sale Happen Before Lunch, he offers 50 proven, easy-to-implement strategies you can use to:Get your next phone call returnedSet up a meeting with a reluctant prospectFormulate one simple question to learn where you stand with your contactRebound instantly from real or perceived obstaclesFrame questions to get a favorable responseRecast your product to fit your contact's specific needsOnce you master Schiffman's 50 cut-to-the-chase strategies, you'll get in the habit of setting something important in motion for the future--each and every business day.

iVenceremos?: The Erotics of Black Self-making in Cuba


Jafari S. Allen - 2011
    Yet the accomplishments of the Cuban state are belied by the marginalization of blacks, the prejudice against sexual minorities, and gender inequities. ¡Venceremos? is a groundbreaking ethnography on race, desire, and belonging among blacks in early-twenty-first-century Cuba, as the nation opens its economy to global capital. Expanding on Audre Lorde’s vision of embodied, even “useful,” desire, Jafari S. Allen shows how black Cubans engage in acts of “erotic self-making,” reinterpreting, transgressing, and potentially transforming racialized and sexualized interpellations of their identities. He illuminates intimate spaces of autonomy created by people whose multiply subaltern identities have rendered them illegible to state functionaries, and to most scholars. In everyday practices in Havana and Santiago de Cuba—including Santeria rituals, gay men’s parties, hip hop concerts, the tourist-oriented sex trade, lesbian organizing, HIV education, and just hanging out—Allen highlights small but significant acts of struggle for autonomy and dignity.

Shine On: Irish Writers for Shine anthology


Pat Boran - 2011
    Contributors include Colm Toibin, Colum McCann, Claire Keegan, John Montague, Brendan Kennelly, Paula Meehan, Kevin Barry, Thomas Kinsella, Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill and many others.Edited and introduced by Pat Boran with a Foreword by broadcaster Miriam O'Callaghan."

Screening the Marquis de Sade: Pleasure, Pain and the Transgressive Body in Film


Lindsay Anne Hallam - 2011
    This is the first book-length academic study by a single author that applies the philosophy of the Marquis de Sade to the analysis of a wide array of film texts. By employing Sade's controversial body-oriented philosophy within film analysis, this book provides a new understanding of notions of pain, pleasure, and the representation of the transgressive body in film. Whereas many analyses have used theory to excuse and thus dilute the power of sexual and violent images, the author has here sought to examine cinematic representations of human relations as unflinchingly as Sade did in his novels.

International Handbook of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders


Johnny L. Matson - 2011
    It is undoubtedly the most studied and talked about topic in developmental disabilities, if not the entire field of mental health. Many states have now included services for ASD in their state health insurance benefits. In addition, popular trade books on ASD have appeared with increasing regularity on The New York Times bestseller list. The increase in popular interest has also provided support for a dramatic uptick in research funding and publications as well as expanded clinical services. For these and other reasons, publishing in the field of ASD has proliferated at a rapid pace, with more than 19,000 articles published on the topic in roughly the past decade.This handbook - with its increased coverage of psychosocial methods - complements already-published works and also fills an information gap in the market. Areas of coverage include perception and cognition, nosology, neuropsychology, social skills, diagnosis, developmental course, comorbid psychopathology, scale development, challenging behaviors, and theory of mind. This volume is important and timely - a must-have resource for researchers, professors, and allied professionals.

Discourse and Creativity


Rodney H. Jones - 2011
    It includes examples of studies of creativity from a variety of traditions and examines the following key areas, how people interpret and use discourse, the processes and practices of discourse production, discourse in modes other than written and spoken language, and the relationship between discourse and the technologies used to produce it.Discourse and Creativity combines a forward-thinking and interdisciplinary approach to the topic of creativity; this collection will be of great value to students and scholars in applied linguistics, stylistics, and communication studies.

The Future of the Word - Technology, culture and the slow erosion of literacy


Chris Goodall - 2011
    The last few decades have seen striking and nearly continuous falls in the amount of time individuals spend with books and other printed material. And, perhaps as a result, the average level of literacy in the British and US populations is declining: our ability to comprehend complex writing, long words or sophisticated expressions is less than it was a few decades ago. Very surprisingly, the rate of decline is fastest amongst the best educated segment of the population. Chris Goodall’s readable and comprehensive book asks why this is happening. ‘In an ever more demanding world’ he inquires ‘why is our ability to understand and use the written word in gradual but apparently relentless retreat?’ Chris Goodall’s The Future of the Word: Technology, culture and the slow erosion of literacy examines the striking but largely unnoticed evidence from around the world. Using the latest research results from neuroscientists, from academics who work on reading skills and from cultural analysts, Goodall brings his commitment to scrupulous research to demonstrate how modern society is making it almost impossible for people to engage in deep reading. Not only are people reading less but they now consume the written word in a more cursory and less reflective way. The author has lost control of the reader: we all tend to skip across the page, searching exclusively for what is relevant to us rather than trying to understand the writer’s point of view or memorise her arguments. There is a strong tendency to say that this doesn’t matter. We longer need to read and to learn because all the information that we could possibly need is instantaneously available to us through electronic gadgets. The argument of Goodall’s book is that this complacency is mistaken. Reading deeply helps us develop a framework and an intellectual structure to which we can add new ideas or opinions. The internet gives us orphaned facts but the reading of books or long articles gives us understanding. As importantly, deep reading trains our brains to cope with complex ideas, much as an athlete trains his muscles with repeated exercise. Goodall discusses the convincing scientific evidence that truly proficient literacy, a skill which is in sharp decline, helps improve other cognitive capabilities and may even improve IQ. If we don’t go to the literacy gym often enough, he says, our intellectual capabilities suffer. Chris Goodall is a well known writer on climate change and energy, winning awards for his previous books and he is a regular commentator on scientific issues in newspapers in the UK and abroad. In an earlier part of his career he worked in television and other mass media. This book comes out of his fascination with how electronic technologies are affecting the way we think and live. ‘Although the digital revolution has made life easier and has improved many of our cognitive skills’, he says ‘it is reversing our ability to read and to comprehend complex ideas’. Full of engaging reports of cutting-edge science, surprising and informative analysis and written with clarity and pace, Chris Goodall’s The Future of the Word is the first attempt to bring rigour to questions that many of us worry about it: why do we find it more difficult to concentrate on the written word? And what can we do about it?

Defining Contemporary Art: 25 Years in 200 Pivotal Artworks


Daniel Birnbaum - 2011
    Selected by the eight most prominent curators working today, all of whom have both witnessed and shaped this period, Defining Contemporary Art today tells the story of the 200 pivotal artworks of the past 25 years. With insightful texts and generous illustrations, it offers the most complete, accurate and easy-to-use guide to the history of contemporary art. A vital sourcebook for historians and art practitioners, it is also an accessible introduction for anyone eager to understand the art of our time.

The Empathy Factor: Your Competitive Advantage for Personal, Team, and Business Success


Marie R. Miyashiro - 2011
    This groundbreaking exploration into business productivity and office management offers both real-world insights and practical ways to build transformative empathy skills organization-wide. It shows how learning about and teaching empathy in the workplace can improve productivity, innovation, and profitability. The guide also provides an innovative framework to help leaders meet the six universal needs of the organization itself while also respecting those of individual employees and customers.

The Paradox of Love: A Jungian Look at the Dynamics of Life's Greatest Mystery


J. Pittman McGehee - 2011
    The human longing for love is fraught with what Jung called the incalculable paradoxes of love. In this book of essays, McGehee studies the interpersonal and the intra-psychic dynamics of love, as well as its light and dark sides.

How to Say It: Be Indispensable at Work: Winning Words and Strategies to Get Noticed, Get Hired, and Get Ahead


Jack Griffin - 2011
    There's no denying that. Most of us feel lucky enough just to have a job, let alone hope for a promotion. But who says a rough economy has to hold you back? How to Say It: Be Indispensable at Work will help you be the one who gets ahead when others are just getting by. Jack Griffin shows you how to make yourself irreplaceable and indispensable in your workplace and in your industry. You'll learn how to demonstrate your value and potential to your boss, coworkers, and staff-as well as to prospective employers. This book will help you work wisely and well in any economy so you can build your career, your future, and your personal brand. You'll discover how to: * Assess the state of your workplace, company, and industry. * Take a frank inventory of your skills and competencies and sell them effectively. * Master a set of simple formulas for building valuable connections in your workplace. * Demonstrate that your organization cannot possibly manage without you. * Get the best from everyone and give your best in return. * Avoid pitfalls that can hold you back, get you canned, and cripple your future. * Get best-case outcomes from worst-case scenarios.