New Book – Just Listen – Part 1

Mark Goulston is a good friend. Even if you don’t know him, he’s a good friend. He’s just one of those great guys. He can make you feel comfortable in a conversation in seconds.

Maybe that’s why he was good as a hostage negotiator. Maybe it comes from  all of his years of schooling and training to become a psychiatrist. Then again, it might be his experience as a communications consultant with businesses and execs.

I was excited to jump into my advanced copy of his new book Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone. I listen to Mark speak, I read his Usable Insight blog. Of course, I wanted to read his new book.

Now Mark knows how to write. Evidence is his best-selling book Get Out of Your Own Way at Work…and Help Others Do the Same.But its more than that. Mark has a great way of seeing past the sh#%, and getting past is, too. He’s a modern day sage who can teach us about how we communicate, how we converse, and ultimately, about ourselves.

I want to honest with all of you. I put the book down before I got to page 30. I had to. Why? Because I was grasping for paper to write down some notes. In less 30 pages, I had just learned two great tricks about getting through to people. Well, one was a trick, the other was really a technique based on scientific research about the brain. As Mark promised many more tips and techniques, I didn’t want to miss any, so I took some notes, and then reread the beginning of the book again. Bam! Just as powerful second time.

I will be reviewing the book over my next few blogs, but I will already and unequivickably say it’s a must read. I have applied two things out of this book the very same day I started reading it! When it comes communications and personal relationships, Mark is a torch in the darkness. He’s really good at this stuff, and we can all learn from it, both personally, and professionally.

It’s due out in a little over a month, but stay tuned here for more updates. I guarantee this will be a good book to have in your personal and office libraries.

– Brian