Business

7 Best Books on Communication Skills

Do you want to improve the way you communicate with other people? Who doesn’t? Effective communication is key to achieving success. 

Luckily, some of the world’s best communications experts have put their knowledge into print for all to benefit from. Each of these books explores a different approach for improving your communication skills. Check out one or a few, and you’re sure to discover the ideal roadmap for forming a unique business communication style. 

Simply Said: Communicating Better at Work and Beyond by Jay Sullivan

Simply Said presents dozens of scenarios you might encounter in various business situations and gives advice for how best to handle them.

Why should you keep this book in your business library?

  •  Sullivan’s practical advice promises to improve your business skills across the board. He covers how to deliver better presentations, handle difficult conversations, and manage teams more effectively by practicing and honing specific skills.
  • Sullivan’s unique “exec-comm” philosophy is a valuable technique you won’t learn anywhere else. This simple but important principle states that better communicators focus less on themselves and more on other people.

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Released in 1936, How to Win Friends and Influence People has sold over 15 million copies. Carnegie’s guide to effective business and personal communication has reached “classic” status among professionals. 

  • Though the content provides complex insights into business communication, the information is presented in an organized, readable format. It’s easy to follow Carnegie’s six simple steps to improving the impression you make on other people. Carnegie also lists 12 ideas that can help improve your persuasion abilities and nine ideas for offering critiques without creating hard feelings.
  • It’s remained influential for decades. Many famous business leaders consider this book important to their professional development, including Lee Iacocca, former Chrysler CEO. 
  • The advice is timeless. Effective communication has always been rooted in a few fundamental concepts. Carnegie explains these concepts clearly and shows how you can put them into practice.

5 Voices: How to Communicate Effectively with Everyone You Lead by Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram

This business communication book is aimed at helping you identify your own unique business voice. Kubicek and Cockram claim that if you capture that voice effectively, you’ll achieve success.

  • 5 Voices seeks to help you gain personal insight into your personal business style through exercises that will help you see what your “leadership voice” sounds like to others.
  • The authors present five distinct voice categories. Are you more of a pioneer, connector, creative, guardian, or nurturer? Find out in this book.

Essentials of Business Communication by Mary Ellen Guffey and Dana Loewy

This hefty textbook has been a staple in college-level business classes for many years. Get the newest edition you can find for the most up-to-date advice.

Why do professors keep assigning it?

  • It’s a comprehensive overview of business communication from the basics to advanced skills. 
  • The textbook format allows readers to review what they’ve learned and test their knowledge.

Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson

Patterson’s Crucial Conversations is a helpful guide for getting through risky business interactions effectively. 

  • Crucial Conversations introduces a powerful, six-minute exercise you can practice to improve your ability to handle difficult business interactions.
  • Patterson offers useful advice for improving your persuasive abilities through an approach that focuses on friendly assertiveness.

Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone by Mark Goulston

Goulston’s background as a psychiatrist comes into play in this effective business communication skills book. He focuses on effective listening skills and teaches readers to read people better, whether they are business adversaries or coworkers.

This guide can help you:

  • Develop deeper communication skills by teaching you about the psychological elements hidden within your interactions.
  • Learn how to deal with angry people. Learning how to de-escalate situations can elevate your business leadership.

Speak with Impact: How to Command the Room and Influence Others by Allison Shapira

Kick your business leadership up a notch. Speak with Impact is aimed at giving you the skills you need to develop a memorable business presence.

  • This book is filled with helpful exercises you can practice immediately. Learn how to weave storytelling and humor into your presentations, or improve your leadership effectiveness by applying Shapira’s tips for kickstarting the creative process. 
  • Shapira’s approach highlights the importance of honing your public speaking ability. She offers suggestions and exercises to do just that.

Whether you are a beginner or veteran businessperson, improving your communication skills will help you achieve your goals. Reading these books can give you the tools you need to get started.

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