Sorry friends, was away from MS for a looong time. LOTs of work on professional and personal front. The most thrilling & memorable moment of my life was on May 3rd when I saw my new born little angel starting his journey of life! AWESOME feeling which I won’t be able to put on paper using 8000 word limit that this review provides me! I am also in search of good names, I very much like Shivraaj but seems my wife is not trilled about this name :-)
As Henry Ford said: ’By the time a person learns from experience he is too old to work!’ So we all should try to learn not only from experience but also from other’s experience and also from the advice, books from experts who have ’seen it & done it’. But to use this book effectively you should use some of the points you learn to practice.
I know that there are quite a few young guys visit this site & also a few grown-ups(!) :) too. I thought, series of reviews on some professional/mgmt books would help quite a lot to this audience. As we all probably know, Effective ’communication’ is sometimes THE key to successful professional career. This is assuming you have the know-how in the stream you want to make your career. Once you ’get-in’ effective communication would hold the key how far you go and how much you shine in your organization. Of all the management tools the communication is the most important one.
This brings us to the basic question: What is communication? Author effectively explains that Speaking, Listening, Writing & Reading are the four fundamental aspects of communication. Author explains why the effective ’reading’ is as imp as other conventionally well-known aspects.
THE CONTENTS
The book explains the topic in 10 different clearly and concisely defined chapters.
(1) The nature of communication
Author explains the forms of communication, how they fit in the big picture & gives reader sort of an orientation on what is meant by and how it is significant in professional career. Basically a person with all the abilities sort of an electronic instrument but ’unplugged’ without effective communication.
(2) Some common communication problems
Here, a very interesting chapter author explains common communication problems with some examples and also use of checklist to see if you are able to handle situations effectively. The chapter has several section like ’case of the unhappy customer’, case of the nervous speaker, talkative chairman, Netma LTD, Poor Performer etc. This chapter gives a very good background and induction so as to prepare reader to learn better from next chapters.
(3) Effective Speaking
(4) Better Listening
(5) The Skills of Writing
(6) The Art of Reading
As you can guess these chapters provide a methodical approach to improve and communicate effectively. To-the-point material is no-nonsense and practical that makes perfect sense every time you read it. It tells you benefits of these basic abilities if carried out in a thoughtful manner. The author ’sells’ the matter to the reader perfectly. I was specially connected to the material as I see these examples and topics in day to day life as a project manager.
(7) Practical Presentation Skills
One of the most imp topics, as hundred or more people or a select few but too powerful professional would listen to you, think over it & ask questions! The way ’’Proposal Preparation’’ tests each and every ability of a Software Consultant, the ’Presentation Skill’ tests the communication as a whole & can be treated as the sole performance criteria (again like proposal prep) in absence of any formal mechanism. The author presents practical tips on knowing the audience, preparing the material, Using visual aids, rehearsal with others, the ’actual-day’ delivery. Well done! We recently had a presentation in a Mgmt Forum & I can attest that the tips and the approach in here was a GREAT help. We not only presented a good team show but were also termed as the best presenters in the forum.
(8) Successful Interviews
One of the most difficult & the one having a HUGE impact on your organization is this activity. Interview can mean either a Job Interview (Technical, Behavioral, Compensation Negotiations etc), Performance Appraisal (feedback). Author explains the term and also what it means in the professional environment. Gives methodical approach to conduct job interviews, gives dos/don’ts, presents useful checklists. Author deals with the most crucial and tricky aspect you face as a professional ---> conducting and facing perf. appraisal or feedback sessions. How to give and accept constructive criticism, what to say & what not to say. What could be interpreted from your reactions in such sessions etc.
(9) Leading Effective Meetings
Meetings could be a huge bottleneck in organizations & could be waste of time if the leader doesn’t stay focused. The chapter is a must read for anyone who attends meetings let alone lead them frequently.
(10) Organizations: The HIMALAYAS of Communication
How it all fits in the organizations, how you can find every bit of this book in your organization (school, prof, college etc etc).
There is an interesting case study (interlude): ’The charge of the light brigade’ to illustrate communication problems. Also there are quite a few samples etc to explain the point with an example. A lot of useful and handy checklists & guidelines make it to the book that enhance usability to a great extent. There are other case studies like Lincoln’s letter to Hooker & Grant that are also very effective.
THE EFFECTIVENESS FACTOR
Don’t think I need a separate section for this as I have mentioned it at quite a few times that this book is a great read & very useful in practice. The organization of the book is near perfect with easy to find information. You don’t need to read it in sequence and can jump to a specific topic once you have read the introductory (say first 2 chapters) material (or even without reading it). Every chapter from #3 is self-sufficient & modular.
CONCLUSION
Someone who is looking for a job or in a job currently would get a VERY good orientation to survive & excel in organizations. The professionals who actually use it and need it on day to day basis, it is a lifesaver and a tool to increase their effectiveness by many-folds.
PRICE
Rs. 195 for this price I say it is a great buy for what it offers you. I bought it from Crossword, Aundh (Pune).