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As comms professionals, how could we resist a book called Supercommunicators?
But this exploration, by Charles Duhigg, of what it takes to connect better with our fellow human beings, and the influence this can bring, isn’t just for PR and marketing types.
The book helps us understand a lot of surprising detail about how and why we communicate, how to spot those who do it most effectively (including why those quick to laugh make better astronauts), and how we can emulate these so-called “supercommunicators” in our own daily lives, whether at work or at home.
A particularly useful insight is Duhigg’s observation that most conversations fall into one of three categories, and that most communication issues come from not recognising which one is in play at a given moment.
These are:
- What is this really about? (problem-solving, planning, making decisions)
- How do we feel? (sharing feelings, seeking empathy, building emotional connections)
- Who are we? (building relationships, navigating social dynamics, and exploring shared identities)
With some simple but powerful ideas that are easy to implement straight away, this is really our kind of book!
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