How Conversation Works: 6 Lessons for Better Communication

By: Anne Curzan, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Anne Curzan

Regardless of age or occupation, conversation can be tricky. But like it or not, it's one of the most important things you do on a daily basis. Successful conversations help you advance professionally and make, maintain, and deepen relationships. Moreover, research shows that talking, when done on a substantive level, is correlated with a feeling of happiness and general well-being.

In just six lectures, Professor Curzan teaches you key strategies that can dramatically improve your ability to converse with anyone, from strangers to supervisors. This highly practical course focuses on the fundamental principles you need to become more conversationally aware and savvy at home, in the workplace, and beyond. You'll learn graceful ways of pointing out a mistake, asking someone to do something he or she doesn't want to do, preparing a person for "no," asking for a big favor, and providing information the recipient doesn't want to hear. You'll also learn devices for skillfully opening and closing exchanges, taking turns "negotiating the conversational floor," sending people subtle signals, and sharing the conversational burden to make discussions feel more mutual and enjoyable.

Whether you want to build rapport with colleagues, promote yourself in an interview, give a winning presentation, ingratiate yourself with your boss, or even create a connection on a first date, knowing what to say and how to say it allows for more productive, smoother interactions.Professor Curzan helps you get ahead by outlining simple techniques for accomplishing all of these goals and more.

Disclaimer: Please note that this recording may include references to supplemental texts or print references that are not essential to the program and not supplied with your purchase.

©2012 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2012 The Great Courses

Left wanting more

Would you try another book from The Great Courses and/or Professor Anne Curzan?

The Professor was engaging and inviting to listen to her lecture. However, the content seemed to jump around to try and reach a wide scope of listeners, from students, to professionals, to single people to married people. The topics always seemed to fall short on following through with the chapter theme. I even listened a second time to see if I missed some of the content, but reached the same conclusion.

Any additional comments?

The lectures touched on the key points needed for communication and the importance it plays from relationships, to being a parent and surviving in the workplace. Listen.

good short reminder

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

i would recomend this book to enyone who has to communicate on a professional level its short, and most of it isn't quite new, most of you will already have heard of it, but it really is helpful to get your self to focus on these things again.

What about Professor Anne Curzan’s performance did you like?

i liked how she engages you as a listener to really try to notice linguistic behaviours and habits that you have and that other use.

Excellent!

Very informative. It contains multiple tips that I can easily incorporate in my daily life, I just wish it was longer!

Excellent for both professional and personal use.

informative. Excellent for both professional and personal relationships. Good gor sparking dialogue with family, friends or students.

Some good tips, worth listening to

Would you try another book from The Great Courses and/or Professor Anne Curzan?

Great courses definitely

Any additional comments?

Overall I found the course a bit superficial. I was waiting for it to get into the meat of the subject and then...it ended. However, I did glean some good tips so consider it worth listening to.

fairly basic

the book's content is rather basic, going over a few conversation setting (like talking to kids, business, small talk, etc). very little theoretical analysis (which is good for non-linguists). i was looking for a more business-oriented course focusing on business situations. however, the book is very short and moves fast, so it's over before you know it.

Outstanding lecture

This was my first audible book. It was outstanding. The content was extremely interesting, and very relevant and helpful to me in my personal and work life.

Highly recommended

It's worth listening to the series of lectures at least one time. I think that all college students should be required to take a course on better communication skills. Don't be fooled by the fact that there aren't more than six lectures there's plenty of information to absorb, and I have noticed that my communication skills have already improved.

Good resource

I bought this because I grew up as a latch key introvert who changed schools due to family moves every year. As you can imagine, conversation is not my strong suit.

This book has a lot of straightforward, and often times, obvious concepts, but ones I have never analyzed previously. As such it helped my awareness of how conversation works and more importantly why it works the way it does. It's not earth shattering, but I still feel it was beneficial.

Disappointing

Too much of a how to presentation rather than presentation of principles. Too subjective and monocultural.