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A review by singuyen
If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?: My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communicating by Alan Alda
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."