內容簡介

前美國公共電台記者兼主持人Celeste Headlee超過千萬人次觀看的TED演講擴充與延伸版。

想想看，你生命中有那些事件，因為貧乏的溝通技巧而以失敗收場？如果善於溝通，你可能會找到一份真正想要的工作，甚至挽回一段關係。一場政治晚宴，因為溝通不良使得對話失控。有多少次我們不能在恰當的時間，說出正確的事？

前美國公共電台記者兼主持人Celeste Headlee已經採訪過數百位各行各業的人士，她在其中所學到的一件重要的事，就是不要低估對話的力道，它不僅可以弭平鴻溝，也可以火上加油，端看你如何掌握對話的技巧。

Headlee在書中強調，當我們開啟對話的同時，聆聽對方(包括那些我們反對的人)其實更為重要。專注在當下和你溝通的對象，別老看著手機傳來什麼樣的訊息，或想著剛剛和老闆爭論了什麼。不要自以為是的發表意見，或是做出武斷的判斷。留意你的偏見與盲點，避免老是談論自己的事…等等。

當你需要與上司來一場對話，深化或改善與某個人的關係，或者把孩子的需求傳達給老師時，她所提供的十大溝通工具，將使你得到正面的結果。

Take a moment to consider how many outcomes in your life may have been affected by poor communication skills. Could you have gotten a job you really wanted? Saved a relationship? What about that political conversation that got out of hand at a dinner party? How is it that we so often fail to say the right thing at the right time?

In her career as an NPR host, journalist Celeste Headlee has interviewed hundreds of people from all walks of life, and if there's one thing she's learned, it's that it's hard to overestimate the power of conversation and its ability to both bridge gaps and deepen wounds. In We Need to Talk, she shares what she's learned on the job about how to have effective, meaningful, and respectful conversations in every area of our lives.

Now more than ever, Headlee argues, we must begin to talk to and, more importantly, listen to one another - including those with whom we disagree. We Need to Talk gives readers ten simple tools to help facilitate better conversations, ranging from the errors we routinely make (put down the smart phone when you're face to face with someone) to the less obvious blind spots that can sabotage any conversation, including knowing when not to talk, being aware of our own bias, and avoiding putting yourself in the centre of the discussion.

Whether you're gearing up for a big conversation with your boss, looking to deepen or improve your connection with a relative, or trying to express your child's needs to a teacher, We Need to Talk will arm you with the skills you need to create a productive dialogue.