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rossfreeman's review against another edition
3.0
The content of this book is good, highly relevant but perhaps slightly drawn out. Comparisons between Alda's career as an actor and the science behind empathizing, relating and connecting with your audience are well made. It changed my opinion of improv and the benefits that people derive from this when trying to understand others better. I enjoyed Alda's writing style: droplets of humour and regular use of story.
It's ironic that I'm critiquing the communication of a book based on communication, but I felt that there was often a tenuous link between chapters. The first section of the book was also lengthy and could have been more compact (much like the book's title).
Content putting the book down after a chapter or two. Average.
It's ironic that I'm critiquing the communication of a book based on communication, but I felt that there was often a tenuous link between chapters. The first section of the book was also lengthy and could have been more compact (much like the book's title).
Content putting the book down after a chapter or two. Average.
stevenyenzer's review against another edition
3.0
Kind of a weird pop-science-cum-memoir. Alda is a solid writer and the questions he asks of scientists are interesting. But it didn't quite come together for me.
papidoc's review against another edition
5.0
Alan Alda (yes, that Alan Alda) does a nice job of exploring some interesting ideas on how to improve communication, especially that of scientists and other experts communicating with less expert audiences. I have learned and adopted some of his recommendations simply as a result of 30 years of trial and error, but others were new to me, and almost immediately useful. This is one book I wish had been available when I began my career in the early eighties.
Alda, who has worked closely with the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science since it was established at Stony Brook University in 2009, is funny, engaging, interesting, and scientifically rigorous as he explores ways of improving communication. These range from what we can learn and adapt from improvisational techniques, to how to ethically use (and not abuse) empathy, to how to adjust to your audience, and what we can learn from work with people on the autism spectrum (mirroring techniques).
For anyone interested in improving their communication skills (which should be everyone!), I recommend this book. Read it with a notebook nearby, and do more than just absorb the information...practice it!
Alda, who has worked closely with the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science since it was established at Stony Brook University in 2009, is funny, engaging, interesting, and scientifically rigorous as he explores ways of improving communication. These range from what we can learn and adapt from improvisational techniques, to how to ethically use (and not abuse) empathy, to how to adjust to your audience, and what we can learn from work with people on the autism spectrum (mirroring techniques).
For anyone interested in improving their communication skills (which should be everyone!), I recommend this book. Read it with a notebook nearby, and do more than just absorb the information...practice it!
dee_loves_toread's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
singuyen's review against another edition
5.0
Alan Alda did a fantastic job at applying his own lessons that he is trying to deliver to readers, while writing the book, especially when explaining concepts to his audience who may not have a ton of prior knowledge about the subject of communication.
I have learned more about the importance of paying attention and tuning into the person(s) in front of you; and talking while also caring about how well you are delivering your knowledge and how well your audience is getting what you say.
There is more than that in the book, which makes it a great source for scientists - whom Alan Alda addressed many times in this book - to be aware of their audience, because while science is important, just as important is how science is delivered and the people at all walks of life can actually understand what scientists have found.
Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
- "Communication doesn’t take place because you tell somebody something. It takes place when you observe them closely and track their ability to follow you. Like making a sculpture out of space, communication is a group experience."
- "You picture an audience and think, What are they already aware of? Where should I start? How deep should I go? What are they actually eager to know? If I start too far in, will I be using concepts they don’t really understand?"
- "There’s something about having knowledge that makes it difficult to take the beginner’s view, to be able to think the way you did before you had that knowledge. And unless you’re aware that you actually know something the other person doesn’t know, you can be at a disadvantage. When you forget you know more than they do, there’re a tendency to undervalue your position."
- "I hope they’ll pay attention not so much to the mechanical things, like a sudden change of pace in a talk or a sudden change in volume of their voice. I hope they’ll pay attention, instead, to the fundamental source of that pacing and volume, which is the connection with the other person. That connection makes us respond like a leaf in the breeze to whatever is happening in the faces of those in front of us."
I have learned more about the importance of paying attention and tuning into the person(s) in front of you; and talking while also caring about how well you are delivering your knowledge and how well your audience is getting what you say.
There is more than that in the book, which makes it a great source for scientists - whom Alan Alda addressed many times in this book - to be aware of their audience, because while science is important, just as important is how science is delivered and the people at all walks of life can actually understand what scientists have found.
Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
- "Communication doesn’t take place because you tell somebody something. It takes place when you observe them closely and track their ability to follow you. Like making a sculpture out of space, communication is a group experience."
- "You picture an audience and think, What are they already aware of? Where should I start? How deep should I go? What are they actually eager to know? If I start too far in, will I be using concepts they don’t really understand?"
- "There’s something about having knowledge that makes it difficult to take the beginner’s view, to be able to think the way you did before you had that knowledge. And unless you’re aware that you actually know something the other person doesn’t know, you can be at a disadvantage. When you forget you know more than they do, there’re a tendency to undervalue your position."
- "I hope they’ll pay attention not so much to the mechanical things, like a sudden change of pace in a talk or a sudden change in volume of their voice. I hope they’ll pay attention, instead, to the fundamental source of that pacing and volume, which is the connection with the other person. That connection makes us respond like a leaf in the breeze to whatever is happening in the faces of those in front of us."
blairconrad's review against another edition
Describes an interesting way to increase one's empathy, but the concept was not developed. I ditched it a little over halfway through when it turned out the book was repeating itself. It's my own fault, really. I should've stopped reading as soon as he'd gone through it once and then given a tip about how in a presentation he likes to have very few ideas. Ideally one. Presented 3 different ways.
deelightfull's review against another edition
3.0
meh... I abandoned this one 3/4 of the way through. I undertand his point, and I think it's a good, valuble point, I just think it went on way too long. If the phrase "active and empethetic" means anything to you this is a major emphasis on the "empethetic" and it's importance.