I am reading John Maxwell’s book, Everyone Communicates, Few Connect.  I highly recommend this book!  As you may remember, I strive to read 10 pages each day which allows me to read most books in a month or less.  This is book #6 for me since January 1 – yes, I sometimes read more than 10 pages per day!  This is one of those books.

In today’s reading, John writes about connecting with others goes beyond the words we use.  I particularly like the section he entitles “What People Feel – Connecting Emotionally”.  I suppose this struck home with me because I need work in this area.  Here are some points that I want to share that are making me think and act differently:

• “The colossal misunderstanding of our time is the assumption that insight will work with people who are unmotivated to change….People can only hear you when they are moving toward you, and they are not likely to when your words are pursuing them.  Even the choicest words lose their power when they are used to overpower.”  (Rabbi Edwin H. Friedman)
• “The exact words that you use are far less important than the energy, intensity, and conviction with which you use them.” (Jules Rose)
• Effective communicators “pay attention to other people, and they desire to add value to them.”
• Do you want to improve you communication skills in one-on-one, group, and audience settings?  “You need to be positive, believe in yourself, and focus on others.”

These are just a few of the tidbits found in this great book.  If you are looking for books to read in 2018, add this one to your list!