Communicate Better with Everyone

Description

Conduct more productive conversations. As a working parent, you lead meetings, advocate for your children, and make presentations that win clients—all with ease. But when your personal life spills into your professional life—whether it's negotiating a schedule change with your boss or talking to your spouse about responsibilities at home—it can be a challenge to communicate effectively and reach agreement. Communicate Better with Everyone provides the expert advice, sample language, and practical solutions you need to help you have more productive conversations with everyone, from your manager to yourself. You'll learn to: Discuss your career and family commitments with your bossSet boundaries—and stick to themCreate a safe environment for open, honest conversationsDecide whether—and what—to disclose when facing a personal crisisTalk back to your inner critic The HBR Working Parents Series with Daisy Dowling, Series Editor, supports readers as you anticipate challenges, learn how to advocate for yourself more effectively, juggle your impossible schedule, and find fulfillment at home and at work. Whether you're up with a newborn or planning the future with your teen, you'll find the practical tips, strategies, and research you need to make working parenthood work for you. Contents Introduction Section 1: Listen—and Be Heard Ch. 1: Four Conversations Every Overwhelmed Working Parent Should Have Ch. 2: Set Boundaries, Foil Boundary Predators, and Say No Ch. 3: What Great Listeners Actually Do Ch. 4: How to Listen When Your Communication Styles Don’t Match Ch. 5: Be Someone Others Can Confide In Section 2: Use Your Words Ch. 6: How to Make Sure You’re Heard in a Difficult Conversation Ch. 7: Eight Ways to Get a Difficult Conversation Back on Track Ch. 8: When to Skip a Difficult Conversation Section 3: Mentioning the Unmentionables Ch. 9: Communicating Through a Personal Crisis Ch. 10: When You Need to Take Time Off for Mental Health Reasons Ch. 11: Asking for an Extended Leave for a Family Issue Section 4: Table Talk Ch. 12: How to Negotiate with Your Kids Ch. 13: Help Your Partner Cope with Work Stress Ch. 14: What You Should Tell Your Kids About Finding a Career Section 5: If You Can’t Say Something Nice . . . Ch. 15: How to Talk to Yourself with Compassion Ch. 16: Make Peace with Your Inner Critic Epilogue: Last Word Ch. 17: Being a Parent Made Me a Better Manager, and Vice Versa Notes About the Contributors Index