Book Review - Everyone Communicates, Few Connect






Book Description:


The world's most respected leadership expert gives five principles and five practices for breaking the invisible barrier to leadership and personal success.
You have a good idea but can't convince your peers of its merit. You crafted a groundbreaking strategy, but the team trudges on in the same old way. Certain people move forward in their career while you seem to be stuck. If this describes you or someone you know, the problem is not the quality of what you have to offer. The problem is how you connect with people to create the results you desire.
In Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, John Maxwell takes readers through the Five Connecting Principles and the Five Connecting Practices of top-notch achievers. He believes that a person’s ability to create change and results in any organization—be it a company, church, nonprofit, or even a family—is directly tied to the ability to use the teachings of this book.


Review:

As a result of our information society, it should be noted that communication skills are not getting better but rather regressing.  Email, texting and other forms of electronic communications are hurting our ability to create deeper, meaningful relationships.  This is where this book comes in.  This purpose of this book is to put the personal back into personal communications.  The method John C. Maxwell advocates for doing this is what he refers to as ‘connecting.’  Connecting at its core according to Mr. Maxwell is creating a personal beneficial relationship between you and the people to which you are communicating with.  My favorite aspect of the text is the reminder that communication and relationships are indeed two way streets.  Those who are consistently selfish in their approach do not create positive long term relationships.  There is a strong need for empathy, active listening skills and creating a caring environment.  The other aspect of the text I truly enjoyed was the chapter entitled, ‘Connectors Live What They Communicate.’  The emphasis on ethics in that chapter is really a newer contribution that you often do not find in these texts.  This is a message that good managers really need to receive in order to be effective.  The old saying, ‘practice what you preach’ is critical for establishing credibility and trustworthiness which has unfortunately not been emphasized enough in the current related literature.  Overall, the text is a nice, easy read.  The message is strong and sent with conviction.  The quotes used in the text are well chosen and do emphasize the importance of the message.  I would recommend Everyone Communicates, Few Connect to any manager who needs a reminder/refresher on how to be successful.


I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”