Customer Reviews

How to Use Power Phrases to Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say, & Get What You Want

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Although the title might lead you to think this is a book on creating the correct powerful phrases to improve your writing that is not what the book is about. This is a book about oral communication and how to express yourself in a manner that is non-confrontational and yet lets the other person know what you think. Meryl Runion discusses phrases that kill and cause the recipient to lose respect for you and your message as well as positive phrases to express yourself. She devotes a chapter each to various situations where power phrases could be used. Examples of some of those situations include using them to perfect a connection, to say what you think, to say what you feel, to make powerful requests, to refuse what you don't want, to get people to open up, to apologize without groveling, to respond to unkind criticism, to handle angry persons, to express anger, to handle disagreements, and to address issues. "How to Use Power Phrases" is a book on verbal communication and responding appropriately to various situations and is a recommended read.

I love it! It's immediately practical and useful. I learned how to respond to my critical boss, assertively address a backstabber, and most importantly, convey my anger and disappointment without blamin the other person. That lesson alone was worth way more than the price of the book. What a value! I'm using what I learned in this book every day.

For anyone who has ever searched for words, or came up with the "right" thing to say fifteen minutes too late, this book is for you. The author, Meryl Runion, gives excellent advice that can be used with a variety of situations. I have tried the "Power Phrases" and they work! It is amazing what kind of results you can get when you know how to get your point across and our confident in your ability to communicate. That is exactly what this book teaches you. I think the book is particularly important for anyone who wants to learn how to be more effective and assertive. This book promises what it delivers - that you'll learn how to say what you mean, mean what you say, and get what you want - and then some. Highly recommended reading! The book would also make a wonderful and highly useful gift.

This book is helping me tremendously at work and in my personal life. I had no idea how weak my language was. I was afraid to say what I thought and ask for what I want. I was always concerned that I would disapoint people out inconvenience them. This book helped me to learn how to communicate effectively while continuing to be a really nice person that gives and gets respect.

Meryl Runion has crafted an excellent resource that has relevance for every person who picks it up. She has a gift for finding the rights words for all those difficult, touchy or uncomforatable situations we find ourselevs in on a dialy basis. The book shows you how to change your approach to actually accomplish your goal - not to make thing worse. She points out that we are pre-programmed to utter responses that can be confrontational, defensive and often counterproductive. Best yet, she illustrates actual situations and shows the right and wrong things to say to make the point and get results. It's written in a very conversational tone and is remarkably inexpensive. This is a great book to by your bedside and read a few chapters each night. Use a highlighter! It's really great.

Lasting power is in relationship smarts. We can become more "powerful" when we put people up and make them feel good about their positive actions than if we react with a vengeance.

This book also teaches how to approach conflict. We could belittle the other person (or ourselves if we are criticizing ourselves) with poison words, or we could approach the problem with them knowing the problem, and having the drive to fix it.

The book also discusses how to ask for help in a way that makes people feel like a part of your team instead of being "dragged into doing another favor for you."

I recommend this book.

Your book has saved my professional and personal self-confidence with communicating. Usually my conversations and correspondence were long, drawn out, and the other person would get lost in "words." My tendencies were to get the "last word" in a conversation, sometimes with a little barb, thinking I was leaving a lasting impression. Wrong... Your book is a ready reference for phrases that are specific and short, but quick and to the point. Thank you for your saying: say what you mean, mean what you say, without being mean when you say it. That one phrase sums it up!

As a professional organizer and time management coach, I am consistently working with clients to teach them how to manage interruptinos and over-committment. Meryl Runion does a great job of helping us realize we CAN do this. She provides step-by-step instructions and sample conversations to make it as easy as possible. This is a great resource!

I always believe that a good book on communications can be simple yet conveniently applicable. The author had brilliantly proved the above with this. In short, recommended!

p.s. Below please find some of my favorite passages for your reference.

Silence isnt gold when 1) people need to know your thoughts and opinions - even if they don't want to hear them 2) people need to know you care 3) people need to be kept in the loop 4) people are saying or doing something that affects you negatively. Pg5
A PowerPhrase is a short, specific, targeted expression that says what you mean and means what you say, without being mean when you say it. Pg13
"I will aim to complete it by Tuesday, and guarantee it by Wednesday." Doesn't that sound stronger than "I'll try." Pg23
Avoid saying, "if you love me, you would.....". Say, "It's important to me that you ....."pg32
The Lord's prayer is only 56 words long. Do you think it would be more powerful if someone added more words?....The Ten Commandments total 297 words. I think they get the point across....Less really is small. Short really is sweet. Brief is best! Pg43
You convey purposefulness when you are concise. It shows that you have things to do, people to see, places to go. It makes what you do say all the more valuable. Pg44
Clear communication requires clarity within yourself before you can be clear with others.....3 essential questions. 1) What do I think? 2) What do I feel? 3) What do I want? Pg64
An effective "no" is limited to three sentences. Begin with an Acknowledgement: I see this is important. What a great idea. Follow with brief Clarification: I'm already committed. I have other priorities. Conclude with a tag phrase: Thanks for asking. Perhaps next time. I hope you can find someone who can help you. Pg118

Wow! How to use Power Phrases is a classic. It's practical. It's refreshingly powerful and individually transforming. It's a book everyone should read because we are all attempting to communicate meaningfully and effectively. Thank you Amazon for making this book available to me, but I am eternally grateful to Meryl Runion for her great insights and contribution.