Review: Supercommunicators: The Power of Conversation and the Hidden Language of Connection

Review: Supercommunicators: The Power of Conversation and the Hidden Language of Connection

Supercommunicators
Category:
Published: 2024-02-20
Page Count: 272
Who and what are supercommunicators? They're the people who can steer a conversation to a successful conclusion. They are able to talk about difficult topics without giving offence. They know how to make others feel at ease and share what they think. They're brilliant facilitators and decision-guiders. How do they do it? In this groundbreaking new book, Charles Duhigg unravels the secrets of the supercommunicators to reveal the art - and the science - of…

I felt quite deceived by the title. I was expecting a book about communication, and in particular public speaking. Instead, this is a book about connection with people – how to be someone who connects really well to others. In other words, it’s a book to explain why emotional intelligence matters. Not a bad subject by any means, but not at all what I was expecting from the title ‘Supercommunicators’.

Overall, it was fine, if a little underwhelming. A solid contribution, but lacking something truly insightful to be altogether gripping.

Who wrote it

Charles Duhigg is a journalist and author.

Why I read it

I’m always keen to improve my understanding of communication and grow my skills as a communicator. This one popped up as a new book on the subject that seemed highly regarded/anticipated.

What I liked

There was some helpful stuff here regarding emotional intelligence. For the most part, it was quite interesting, with plenty of stories to keep you engaged. It does read like a book written by a journalist/author.

What I didn’t

This is a difficult one. My single biggest complaint is what I felt was a misleading title. Rather ironic for a book called ‘Supercommunicators’. Had it been called something different, I might have felt quite differently. Or perhaps I would not have picked it up at all. Having read Geoffrey Cohen’s Belonging earlier in the year, I likely would have been less keen on this had it been given a more accurate (IMHO) title.

Major Takeaway

The most important indicator for an astronaut to succeed on a team mission is their emotional intelligence. It was proven to be a more significant indicator of thriving than any other measurement.

Not sure how useful that is, but it’s the one story that has stuck with me. I guess it serves to broadly remind us that the ability to participate well as part of a team is more important than individual intelligence, skill, etc. Nothing new in that observation, but a helpful reminder.

Who should read it

If you’re curious about emotional intelligence, and exploring some interesting stories that help unpack its importance and application, this is not a bad book. If you’re looking to improve the way you connect with and listen to people, there’s plenty of good stuff here. If you’re looking for something more on the communication line, this is not quite that book.

2.3Overall Score

Supercommunicators

I felt quite deceived by the title. I was expecting a book about communication, and in particular public speaking. Instead, this is a book about connection with people - how to be someone who ...

  • Difficulty to read
    2.0
    There's plenty of stories, and its easy to follow.
  • Overall Rating
    2.5
    Feels harsh. Partly, it scores lower because of mismatched expectations. And partly because what it did say was far less insightful than, at times, the book seems to believe it is. It's fine, but not particularly noteworthy.

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