The Four Conversations: Daily Communication That Gets Results

Talk is powerful. And it isn't just 'difficult' conversations that matter- the everyday dialogue we have with one another is critical to both personal and organizational success. Packed with sample dialogues and dozens of personal stories, and backed by solid research and the authors' firsthand observations, The Four Conversations describes how to get maximum results from conversations that every one of us must use to get things done- initiative conversations introducing something new, understanding conversations to help people relate to ideas or processes, performance conversations requesting specific actions, and closure conversations that recognize achievements and signal completion of the work. As Jeffrey and Laurie Ford clearly demonstrate, engage in the right conversation at the right time-plan and start each one well, finish every one effectively-and extraordinary things can happen.

“"Conversation is the simplest, oldest, and most effective way for people to communicate. Yet too many people find conversations intimidating. Here are well-tested conversational practices that offer real support for leaders to discover the extraordinary benefits of communicating well." --Margaret J. Wheatley, author of Leadership and the New Science and Turning to One Another "A seminal work that shows leaders how to move from unproductive chatter to conversations that make things happen." --Dave Logan, Professor at Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California, cofounder and senior partner of CultureSync, and author of Tribal Leadership and The Three Laws of Performance " The Four Conversations takes the old ideas of workplace communication to an entirely new level of effectiveness and ease." --Jack Stack, President and CEO, SRC Holdings Corporation, and author of The Great Game of Business”

“Conversation is the simplest, oldest, and most effective way for people to communicate. Yet too many people find conversations intimidating. Here are well-tested conversational practices that offer real support for leaders to discover the extraordinary benefits of communicating well.”
—Margaret J. Wheatley, author of Leadership and the New Science and Turning to One Another

“A seminal work that shows leaders how to move from unproductive chatter to conversations that make things happen.”
—Dave Logan, Professor at Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California, cofounder and senior partner of CultureSync, and author of Tribal Leadership and The Three Laws of Performance

“The Four Conversations takes the old ideas of workplace communication to an entirely new level of effectiveness and ease."
--Jack Stack, President and CEO, SRC Holdings Corporation, and author of The Great Game of Business

Jeffrey Ford is associate professor of management in the Fisher College of Business at the Ohio State University in Columbus.Laurie Ford is a consultant to managers and executives in business, government agencies, and associations on organization redesign and change implementation.

Talk is powerful. Engaging in the right conversation atthe right time is key to both personal and organizationalsuccess. And it isn't just 'difficult' conversations thatmatter. The Four Conversations clearly demonstrates it isthe everyday dialogue we have with one another that iscritical. Armed with a solid body of research and theirown first-hand observations, Jeffrey and Laurie Fordidentify four types of conversations that every one of usmust use to get things done: initiative conversations tointroduce something new; understanding conversations tohelp people relate to new ideas or processes; performanceconversations to request specific actions and results;and closure conversations to complete work and givepeople a sense of accomplishment . They identify thespecific elements that make each of these conversationssuccessful and show how they can be put together indifferent ways to achieve different objectives.

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