Bridge the Gap: Breakthrough Communication Tools to Transform Work Relationships From Challenging to Collaborative

Tap the psychology of human connection to drive meaningful workplace communication

Human beings are born to connect—but in today’s increasingly polarized world, we’re losing sight of the importance of building and maintaining professional relationships. And that’s bad for business.

In Bridge the Gap, two prominent Fortune 500 coaches explore how your biology and biography define and refine your behavior in relationships where you struggle to connect. Focusing on personal responsibility and awareness, meta-cognition, and curiosity, they provide a reliable and replicable framework to enhance open communication. And they illuminate the inner workings of the human brain and mind, and how they impact the way you connect, communicate, and collaborate.

Inside, you’ll find eye-opening techniques to help you:

• Master your biological reactions when pressure, stress, and anxiety hijack your efforts to connect
• Understand how you and others can better learn from and listen to each other
• Lead with curiosity in all your communication strategies and learn how to give authentic feedback
• Feel more comfortable working on diverse team and embrace all cultural backgrounds

What makes this book different from others is that it focuses on the how rather than just the why of fostering better communication. And, whether you’re entry level staff or a C-Suite executive, these techniques can be applied at all levels and all capacities.

Filled with practical exercises, colorful stories, and illustrative case studies, Bridge the Gap reveals how to harness the real and raw power of your mind to build solid workplace relationships in any situation.

Jennifer Edwards is a business advisor and leadership advisor working with Fortune 500 companies and boards, equipping them to perform and collaborate optimally when pressure and stress hit. Her clients include top leaders at global companies, including Microsoft and WeWork. She is a partner at Winning Streak Ventures, an early-stage capital fund which invests in disruptive technology companies. Katie McCleary is an entrepreneur and storyteller who trains leaders, creatives, and humanitarians to launch big ideas by leveraging their social and cultural capital. She is the founder of 916 Ink, a nonprofit that has transformed over 4,000 vulnerable youth into confident authors. She is the host of The Drive podcast on NPR's CapRadio with the American Leadership Forum.

"Teamwork is ubiquitous--and underappreciated. Almost every job depends not only on getting the work done, but also on getting that work done through other people. Edwards and McCleary have written a clear and timely guide for any professional who wants to build a better collaborative environment." -- Daniel H. Pink , #1 New York Times bestselling author of When , Drive , and To Sell Is Human " Bridge the Gap teaches professionals how to intentionally put genuine curiosity at the heart of any working relationship where understanding, collaboration, and respect are paramount for success. Packed with examples and tools, this is a truly practical guide to being effective at work in the twenty-first century." -- Amy C. Edmondson , professor at Harvard Business School; author of The Fearless Organization "For years I have asked 'Why do people struggle to understand each other?' It's the wrong question! A better question is 'How do any of us ever understand each other?' And that's because there is a veritable chasm--the gap as McCleary and Edwards put it--keeping us in our own heads, keeping us lonely and keeping our relationships less effective than they could be. The challenge and the solution are brilliantly captured in this new book!" -- Greg McKeown , author of the New York Times bestsellers Effortless and Essentialism " Bridge the Gap is ripe for the marketplace. It's a great resource for engaging resistant employees in diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging work." -- Marilyn Tam , CEO of Marilyn Tam & Co. and founder and Executive Director of Us Foundation, former CEO of Aveda Corp., President of Reebok Apparel and Retail Group, and VP of Nike Inc. "In a sea of people talking over, at, or down to each other, Bridge the Gap, is that rare oasis that talks with you and teaches you to do the same so that you can pull people together in such a divided and divisive world." -- Mark Goulston , MD , author of Just Listen "A compelling read that helps you see curiosity and communication through a new lens." -- Adam Markel , author of Change Proof "When business teams include participants from different political parties and perspectives everyone wins. This book will enhance the creation of diversity and help readers create bridges for individual and corporate success." -- Jon Fisher , author of I Took the Only Path to See You and founder of ViciNFT "An innovative book for any professional! McCleary and Edwards embed their discussion of leadership at the intersection of your biology and lived experiences, recognizing the ways in which our approach to any situation in any given moment reflects the brain's state. The authors tap into modern conceptions of the brain from the field of neuroscience with colorful case studies rooted in real human dynamics." -- Leonard Abbeduto , PhD , director UC Davis Mind Institute, professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences "Cancel culture, polarization, and toxic language are harming our relationships--we can do better, and Bridge the Gap teaches you how." -- Sally Edwards , founder and CEO, Heart Zones Inc.; cofounder, Fleet Feet; cofounder, Yuba Snowshoe Company; cofounder, Upbeat Workouts iPhone Mobile Apps

Two coaches to Fortune 500 companies and in the social sector show how to use the social-psychology of human connection to drive meaningful workplace communication In today's increasingly polarized world, we're getting more and more stuck in our cognitive biases. As a result, we're forgetting how to build personal connections and often refusing to listen to each other--and that's bad for business. Bridge the Gap explores the intersection of how your biology and biography define, refine, and contribute to your presence and behavior. Focusing on three gifts every human being possesses--curiosity, meta-cognition, and narrative communication--the authors provide a reliable, replicable framework and step-by-step processes that increase open communication and foster better relationships at work. They illuminate the raw power of the human brain and mind and how they impact the way we behave, and they provide a deep dive into how (rather than why ) we should seek to be with people in the workplace and beyond. Bridge the Gap helps you: -Master your biological reactions when pressure, stress, and anxiety hit -Understand how we create our perceptions of reality and way of being in the world -Focus on clean listening, curious language, empathy, and caring choices -Become WayFinders in collegial relationships and create long-lasting adult friendships -Feel more comfortable, authentic, and more natural when it comes to being with people Whether you're entry level staff or C-Suite executive, you'll learn how to communicate clearly with a broad spectrum of people and navigate/manage a wide range of emotions in virtually any situation. Rather than focus solely on the mechanics of having "tough" or "difficult" conversations, the authors illustrate how intention, curiosity, and choice engages others and fosters better interactions. Filled with practical skill-building exercises and Dear Reader letters from C-suite leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, and change-makers who have used the teachings of this book to enrich their work lives, Bridge the Gap provides everything you need to build solid connections with people in every situation.

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