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PeopleSmart: Developing Your Interpersonal Intelligence by Mel Silberman, Ph.D. with Freda Hansburg, Ph.D. 2000. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. 251 pages. Softcover. $16.95
Intended Audience(s): L
Major Headings from the Table of Contents:
Preface; What Does It Mean To Be People Smart?; Becoming People Smart; How People Smart Are You?; PeopleSmart Skill 1: Understanding People; PeopleSmart Skill 2: Expressing Yourself Clearly; PeopleSmart Skill 3: Asserting Your Needs; PeopleSmart Skill 4: Exchanging Feedback; PeopleSmart Skill 5: Influencing Others; PeopleSmart Skill 6: Resolving Conflict; PeopleSmart Skill 7: Being a Team Player; PeopleSmart Skill 8: Shifting Gears; Putting It All Together; PeopleSmart Seminars
How Is the Book Most Useful for Its Intended Audience?
The stated aim of PeopleSmart is to provide a one-stop, all-in-one guide to healthier and more productive relationships without requiring readers to read a library of books on listening, communication, assertiveness, feedback, influence, conflict resolution, collaboration, and flexibility. The book is quite user-friendly because each chapter can be read and the skills applied independently, without reference to the other chapters.
The Top Things You Learned from Reading this Book:
I learned new language for things of which I was aware, but had not yet articulated. For example, the authors wrote a clear, concise description of how to evaluate others' goals when attempting to understand behavior, by focusing on control, connection, and competence. Their descriptions of each goal and the examples of behavior evidenced by people who might over- or under-emphasize each goal were illuminating. I found myself thinking how I could apply the author's advice to review these three concerns when having difficulty understanding someone, both in my own coaching practice, and as a supervisor. Another concept I enjoyed was a discussion about responding to feeling as a crucial aspect for understanding meaning and deepening connection with others. Included in this section was a method to...