We need to listen, and actually talk less. This book can be summarized in a few short sentences, maybe one for the most part. Whether you’re struggling to communicate with your kid’s teacher at school, an employee at work, or the people you love the most-Headlee offers smart strategies that can help us all have conversations that matter. New research suggests that the mere presence of a cell phone can negatively impact the quality of a conversation. Don’t just put down your phone, put it away. Check your bias before you judge someone else. We all have blind spots that affect the way we view others. The belief that your intelligence protects you from erroneous assumptions can end up making you more vulnerable to them. Think you can type up a few emails while on a business call, or hold a conversation with your child while texting your spouse? Think again.ĬHECK YOUR BIAS. Human beings are incapable of multitasking, and this is especially true of tasks that involve language. In We Need to Talk, she outlines the strategies that have made her a better conversationalist-and offers simple tools that can improve anyone’s communication. The blame for some of this disconnect can be attributed to our political landscape, but the erosion of our conversational skills as a society lies with us as individuals.Īnd the only way forward, says Headlee, is to start talking to each other. Today most of us communicate from behind electronic screens, and studies show that Americans feel less connected and more divided than ever before.

Headlee is a talented, honest storyteller, and her advice has helped me become a better spouse, friend, and mother.” (Jessica Lahey, author of New York Times bestseller The Gift of Failure)

“We Need to Talk is an important read for a conversationally-challenged, disconnected age. Winner of the 2017 Silver Nautilus Award in Relationships & Communication In this urgent and insightful book, public radio journalist Celeste Headlee shows us how to bridge what divides us-by having real conversationsīASED ON THE TED TALK WITH OVER 10 MILLION VIEWS

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