The Art of Connecting: How to Overcome Differences, Build Rapport, and Communicate Effectively with Anyone (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Lara Ewing (Author) "Many of us struggle to connect with those who seem different..." (more)
Key Phrases: Titanium Rule, Terry Gross, Golden Rule (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

" a quick-read treasure-trove of useful skills and practical advice. -- Gulfshore Business

"..an excellent book." -- Denver Business Journal

“…a quick-read treasure-trove of useful skills and practical advice….organized into digestible chunks of charts and lists, and lots of stories make the ideas come alive.”

-Gulfshore Business Magazine

Review

“…a quick-read treasure-trove of useful skills and practical advice….organized into digestible chunks of charts and lists.. the ideas come alive.”

-Gulfshore Business Magazine

“…an excellent book.”

-Denver Business Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM (May 12, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814408729
• ISBN-13: 978-0814408728
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #281,489 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars universally valuable, June 15, 2006

By	William Regan (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have been a professional communicator for over 20 years and I was sincerely impressed by the practical usefulness of this book. I strongly recommend it to any one who manages a company or sees the value of influencing, motivating or simply connecting with others. Because I see our workplace and culture becoming less homogenized, it is increasingly important that we gain the skills outlined in this book regardless of whether we are interacting with customers, co-workers or those who are in different socio-economic positions both in the work environment and in the world at large. Ewing and Raines have done a wonderful job and this book would be a valuable addition to anyone's personal library.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Insightful Twist on the Golden Rule, May 23, 2006

By	Dale Blocher (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Very helpful. The Art of Connecting has several nuggets that you can take and apply immediately, built around what the authors call the "Titanium Rule" -- "do unto others according to their druthers." It's a powerful concept, yet a real challenge; how to know how others want to be treated, especially people from very different backgrounds?

The focus of the book is how to "tune in" to these "druthers"; the subtle clues that we often just let float by unrecognized and don't build upon. There are chapters on connecting one-on-one, taking other points of view, and working in diverse groups. Once the concepts are out of the way, the authors provide lots of examples and case studies to build on the learning.

Bottom line...these concepts have helped me connect better through greater awareness of cues I had been missing. It's easy to put into practice and start to see benefits, if you're willing to invest a bit of effort. I don't think you can go wrong with this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Art of Connecting, July 17, 2007

By	Tami Brady "Whole Health Therapist" (Calgary, Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I think more and more people in business (and life in general) are realizing that people are not exactly like them. Simply put, we live in a global community where not everyone looks, sounds, or acts the same. In addition to obvious physical differences, we also have different interests, values, and goals. Thus, to be successful in business (and in life) one needs to understand, get along with, and ultimately connect with people that are different from him or herself.

The Art of Connecting takes the difficulty out of connecting with anyone. The key is not to pour over Chinese history books for two weeks before that meeting in Beijing. Nor is it to be friendly and aloof because you are unsure of how to act. The secret is merely realizing that we all are individuals (we are all our own culture as the book states). Watching, listening, and trying to find common ground with each person as an individual is much more likely to allow you to overcome overt differences, build rapport, and communicate effectively.