Customer Reviews

Can't Get Through: Eight Barriers to Communication

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Library Journal
People have misunderstood one another since the beginning of time-and, if the self-help genre is any indication, they continue to do so. Hogan, a well-traveled motivational speaker and expert on body language, and hypnotherapist Stubbs document common communication barriers (e.g., poor listening skills and being critical) and techniques to overcome them (e.g., distract the criticizer). Though initially a bit technical, the book smoothes out, presenting lucid examples to show readers that they should change themselves instead of trying to change others. The authors refer to research but fail to include their sources. Still, this effective and lively beginners' approach will find an appreciative readership. Large libraries can safely use this to supplement Kate M. Wachs's Relationships for Dummies; smaller libraries will do fine with either. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

This book provides an easy to comprehend method of improving one's skills as a communicator. Stubbs and Hogan provide easily understood material and many real life examples of the reasons why people fail in communicating with each other.
While there are many examples of the pitfalls in communicating in family, business and inter-personal life, the things that most people mess up on, they also provide numerous ways and suggestions to avoid them as well. Their examples are simple to put into practice yet extremely effective. All in all, I found this book to be entertaining as well as informative and would recommend it to all my friends and family. My only complaint is I would love it to be twice as long so I could glean even more life lessons from these two authors.