I was surprised and impressed by this one. Many of the studies were new to me, and I've read a lot of social science, which tends to repeat itself. I loved the section about astronauts and how NASA uses this science in its interviews. I also thought there was an ample amount of practical applications for people who are looking for more of a self-help read.

I may include this in a series with Atomic Habits and some others and teach a few classes from their principles.

Thank you NetGalley, LibroFM and the publisher for the ARC. i purchased for my library.

Having learned a lot from the author's book "The Power of Habit," I could not wait to read his new one. And the book did not disappoint! Through research and stories, he focuses in on three conversations -- 'What's this really about," "how do we feel" and "Who are we" - every conversation is made up of paying attention and making small choices along the way. Under each of these is a corresponding mindset - decision=making, emotional, social. He next turns to the learning conversation with four rules -- first - pay attention to what kind of conversation is occurring -- seems simple enough - but I am amazed at how many times I don't stop to think about that and instead react or let my emotions take over. Next is what our goals are for the conversation - what do we/they need - helped? hugged? Heard? -- another great lesson because I jump into problem-solving mode immediately when all my son or husband want is for me to listen and be heard or hugged. Part II of this book is a guide on how to use all of the ideas - including preparing for the conversation and paying attention to clues during conversations. One of my favorite examples is about the television show "The Big Bang Theory." There are also guidelines for hard conversations and working through conflict. This book was a fun read with lots of practical tips.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Ever had an argument with someone where you both agree, but still can’t see eye to eye? The answer, according to Charles Duhigg, might be because both of you are engaging in two wildly different conversations and just don’t know it.

Charles Duhigg is a reporter who wrote the incredibly popular book The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business that was published in 2012. Told through a collection of psychology studies and stories, Duhigg argues that all conversations can be defined into three different overarching questions: What’s this really about? How do we feel? Who are we? Duhigg defines supercommunicators as those who are incredibly in-tune with others’ emotions and can pick up on the type of conversations that are happening. Understanding these conversation types and the underlying mechanics for each can lead to better, more impactful communication.

The anecdotes in this book are a mix of history and psychology case studies. Duhigg writes in a way where his voice fades and I am focused on the story he is telling or the connection he is making. Some of the stories included dragged on for a while, but overall the author did a great job at tying each story to the point he was trying to make.

Supercommunicators is not just an interesting collection of stories but practical advice on how we can become better listeners and communicators. Duhigg offers practical advice on identifying these conversations through fascinating reporting, from a Netflix board room, a convention of hedge fund managers, to a tense jury room.

Part entertaining, part tips that I can use in every conversation, I really enjoyed Supercommunicators and think you will too.

You should check out this book if:
+ You want to understand how to better communicate with friends, family, or coworkers.
+ You love learning about all the ways that humans communicate.
+ You love reading about psychology.

Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection, by Charles Duhigg: This was absolutely fantastic. Researcher Charles Duhigg teaches a framework for recognizing three different types of conversations people have (“what’s this really about?”, “who are we?”, and “how do we feel?”), and then teaches how to match those and take the other person’s emotions and experiences into account in your response. As a consultant, I know that what clients verbally say may not reflect how they really feel / what they want; this book helps you read between the lines and learn how to connect more deeply and effectively with everyone you meet. I absolutely loved “The Power of Habit”, and Duhigg uses the same storytelling / science / conclusion formula to present his research in a really engaging and easy to read way. I am recommending this book to everyone I know!

Supercommunicators explores the processes we can follow to improve our communication and connect better with others. It's well-organized and detailed. I enjoyed this book, but felt much of the information was either kind of obvious, or kind of off-kilter. Something about the way this book organizes discussions around race and fun violence felt a bit off, and almost like it was intentionally leaving out information to avoid offending or off-putting readers who might be racist or have other problematic views. While I do believe communication and debate are important, it also feels like this book somewhat gives validity to views that de-humanize others, which I'm fundamentally opposed to.

I found this to be an interesting exploration of different types of communication and what makes some more effective than others. The secret lies in connection to your audience, and I truly enjoyed the manner in which this material was presented.
My only regret is that I chose a written copy. I heard the author, Charles Duhigg, on the Armchair Expert podcast, and found him very engaging and likable. Since he narrates the audio version, I’ll go that route if I choose to revisit this info.
Much thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Random House for allowing access to a digital ARC.

Really interesting, especially if you are studying this topic for school. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. #sponsored

This book was awesome! It laid out how not only how vital communication is, but why it is so important and how to best utilize it. Incredibly easy to read and understand. It’s more beneficial than just a regular self help book. This book can help individuals, organizations, families, companies, etc!

Few people may be born super communicators — but we can all become better at having meaningful and productive conversations. This book offers invaluable guidance.

One of the key points I take from it is the importance of recognizing the kind of conversation you’re having. Are you talking about what’s going on? Or is it a conversation about emotions, or identity? Mismatches here undoubtedly lead to many of life’s frustrations.

The book has inspired me to recognize and inhabit different conversations differently.

As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, books classified under the “self-help” category can be very much a hit or miss for me. This is partly because overall, it already takes me longer to read nonfiction books and with so many books on my TBR, the time pressure can be quite palpable. More significantly though, when the book contains a “self-help” element, I feel even more pressure to actually “get” something out of the book in order for me to feel like it was worth my while to read. This last part depends a lot on how the “self-help” element is presented, which could go in either the “yes, this resonates with me” or “no, most of this doesn’t apply to me” direction (of course I always hope for the former).

In this case, Charles Duhigg’s newest book Supercommunicators definitely fell into the “resonant” category for me, even though I will admit that I was a tad hesitant about the subject matter at first. I actually decided to pick up this book not because of the subject (believe me, as an introvert with social anxiety who prefers to be alone rather than be around others, reading about how to better communicate is the last thing I want to do, lol), but rather because I had really enjoyed Duhigg’s The Power of Habit (which was massively popular when it first came out in 2012) and so was hoping to find more of the same. While I have to say that this book turned out to be quite different from the habit book in terms of scope and topic, there were some similarities that made it as enjoyable and interesting a read as that one. First and foremost, I like that the book is written in a straightforward, easy to understand way, with practical, real world examples that felt both realistic and familiar. I also like how he formatted the book (similarly to his habit book) where he would structure each chapter around a case study and present details that tied the study to the particular concept he was discussing. Most of all though, I like the journalistic format where it felt at times that I was reading a series of well-written articles (the type of long-form story-like narratives often found in newsmagazines) — of course this is not surprising given that Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter / journalist (and yes, he writes for newsmagazines in addition to newspapers).

For me, one of the things that can be a “deal-breaker” when I read self-help books is the author’s tone, which comes across in their style of writing. Personally, I can’t stand self-help books that make me feel like I’m being lectured or talked down to or that subtly imply that I’m missing out if I don’t apply the concepts from the book right then and there. I’m the type of person who needs to let concepts and ideas sink in slowly and gradually before I can derive meaning from them, so I’m not keen on books that feel pushy or overly-preachy. Duhigg writes in a way where his enthusiasm for the subject shines through, but there’s also enough neutrality and restraint where it doesn’t feel like he’s trying to push me toward one direction or another (at least not overtly anyway, lol). He also writes with a sense of humor, which I always appreciate, especially in nonfiction books.

Even though some of the concepts covered in this book I felt wouldn’t necessarily apply to me, there was plenty that I resonated with…and to me surprise, one of the concepts that Duhigg advocated in the book was something I was already doing for years — I guess I was applying “super communicator” techniques without even knowing it!

This is a book that fans of Duhigg’s works will undoubtedly enjoy. Even if you’re not a fan though, there’s still plenty to enjoy. If you’ve read The Power of Habit , the structure of the book will definitely be recognizable (and if you liked that one, most likely this one will appeal as well). I just found out that Duhigg also wrote a book on productivity and few years after the habit one — I’m definitely interested in checking that book out at some point!

Received ARC from Random House via NetGalley.

This book gets a solid three stars. It is informative, and the points it makes are valid and helpful, absolutely; but it does go on a bit too much with the anecdotal examples of proving the points being made. There are three main parts of the book (= the 3 important aspects to understanding conversations), and toward the end of each section, I found myself impatiently waiting to just get through it and move on. The points were interesting and the first few stories or examples were interesting to demonstrate the effectiveness of the suggestion. But in general, this could have been shorter. Another reason for the "low" rating is because it wasn't the most engaging in its writing style, it was too easy to put down and disengage.
Pros: the main points made seem valid and helpful, some examples of using those points were interesting
Cons: it went on too much discussing those points and was written in a dry manner

I want to thoroughly thank NetGalley for this ARC and the opportunity to read this book. This review will be published on Goodreads on March 5, 2024.

Fantastic look at how the most effective communicators work and how to emulate them. Truly a fascinating read and one that gives lots of practical advice for communicating better in your personal and professional lives. The anecdotes range from spies recruiting agents to a Hollywood writer's room to a Harvard longitudinal study...so many interesting people are interviewed and their stories are all fascinating!

Let me acknowledge the obvious that still may need to be said: This is NOT the Power of Habit. People who want it to be, be warned.

What it is a really good look at what makes some people shine and some people fizzle.

As a reformed fizzler, I'm here for it. I learned something, and while I expected to highlight more, I DID highlight, and that counts for something.

I've left many other books not being able to say the same.

Duhigg is a nonfiction mega-writer, and while it may not be the runaway that Habit was, it's still good.

3.9, rounded.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was really excited to read Charles Duhigg's Supercommunicators as I am always fascinated by the ways in which people interact with one another. While there were some good examples depicting the various types of communications that Duhigg was trying to highlight, there were some that I feel equally missed the mark. Some of the stories felt dated and not particularly relevant for the current time. While none of the material was new to me, it was presented in a well written, clear and concise manner. What I would have liked to see were examples that walked the reader through a potential conversation using each technique that was taught; the book is good on the why and how, but falls short on the do. Overall a good book, especially for those who are new to learning communication skills,

As a sales professional, I have heard the importance of mirroring and matching when building rapport with a prospect. Often, the approach of matching actually created the opposite of the desired result. Leave it to Charles Duhigg to take the approach to a deeper and more effective level.

Understanding the 3 types of conversations is critical in the actual art of communication. This book is full of ideas to recognize the type of conversation being had, how to develop the conversation beyond surface level, and how to truly connect with people ... even during difficult, high risk topics.

This is a must read ... and study ... for anyone looking to improve their ability to communicate. Which is arguably, one of the most critical skill to develop in today's complex world.

This is my new go to book for work place communication!!
The information in this book was a great read and applicable to real life. Such an amazing tool everyone should have in their tool box.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced copy.

According to a research by Sievers and his co-authors, individuals with high centrality are more likely to adjust their brain activity to the group and play a major role in fostering group alignment by promoting discourse. They guide others gently, prodding them to listen to one another or provide clearer explanations of who they are. They encourage others to match them by matching the conversational tenor of their groupmates, creating space for humour or seriousness.

Somehow this book reveals that there's a skill for everything we do, no matter how negligible it looks. As for communication, the author has done superbly well in writing this piece, kudos, it worth's a read.

SUPERCOMMUNICATORS by Charles Duhigg (The Power of Habit and Smarter, Faster, Better); describes "How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection." Duhigg, a Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist and author, writes that this book "is an attempt to explain why communication goes awry and what we can do to make it better. At its core are a handful of key ideas." He continues by describing three kinds of conversations (practical or decision-making; emotional; and social) which he says primarily addresses one of three broad questions: What's this really about? How do we feel? Who are we? Duhigg stresses that we need be more skilled at determining which type of conversation is occurring and then also in applying the different skills needed for each. I found myself thinking about this recently when talking to a friend and was able to ask a version of "Do you want me to help you solve this problem, or just listen?" After several years of studying the topic, Duhigg believes that anyone can become a super communicator and can have more meaningful discussions or "learning conversations." First step: ask yourself "Why am I opening my mouth?" He acknowledges that this is very difficult and employs real-life examples to illustrate several rules in a well-organized series of guides. To gain a better overview, see an essay (link below) by Duhigg that outlines his thinking, particularly about listening, sharing, and connecting (recently published in The Wall Street Journal). SUPERCOMMUNICATORS received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Much advice worthy of reflection, perhaps in conjunction with David Brooks' How to Know a Person. 4.5 stars

LINK: https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/how-to-become-a-supercommunicator-4d97dd5d

This was well-reasoned and explained clearly. I love the idea of being able to identify the type of conversation that each participant wants to have. I found my mind wandering a lot while reading. Perhaps the medium prevented me from really connecting with the material. I read this in ebook format, and I think an actual book might work better for me.

***Thank you to Randon House and NetGalley for the ARC!

Short, well paced, and well written from a technical standpoint. However, all of the examples of "supercommunicators" felt shallow and repetitive, never really presenting innovative solutions posited in the blurb. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.