Talking on Eggshells: Soft Skills for Hard Conversations

Talking on Eggshells is my kind of book. The theme for my life is "connection," and this book is full of meaningful and easy to employ suggestions to improve my skills to connect. When we walk into a room of people we're often nervous about how we'll project to the occupants. We come in with an "Here I am attitude." How much more productive it is to put the focus on what the people in the room can teach me when I say, "Well, there you are."I am often frustrated when someone upsets me and either talk on eggshells and pretend I'm fine, or I challenge the person as to why they could be so...heartless, mean, hurtful. Now I'll follow an example in the book and say, "I'm wondering if you could help me understand..." So much more productive an approach!This book is full of useful and conversation changing examples and suggestions to better connect. The writing is engaging and often funny, but best of all, leads to productive conversations.The number of times I use the word "productive" is not an accident.

We live in a world where there is way too much arguing and fighting going on around us. We often feel WAY too uncomfortable in talking with others. This book is a most welcome relief and practical step-by-step tool to handle those most difficult conversations.Instead of ignoring them, or trying to just avoid it, Sam Horn shows us, in simple English, how to handle these difficult conversations, what to say (yes, that is really nice!) and how to do it.You don't have to be "walking on eggshells" when you're talking. This title (I love the title of this book!) sums up how many feel about talking about those difficult subjects. This book shows us how to deal with it, exactly what to say, and to stop "Talking On Eggshells."This is a book I've read twice already and plan to study it even more. It is a welcome tool and fun companion based on the beauty and majesty that Sam Horn uses to present it. I very glad I purchased this book!Yep! I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to know what to say when you don't know what to say.

Sam Horn’s new book, Talking on Eggshells, will give you those words so you can be confidently assertive instead of flustered and angry.Having read some of Sam Horn’s books before, I was eager to read her new one, Talking on Eggshells. As soon as I got the book, I read it from cover to cover in only a few days, underlining the important points and meaningful quotations as I read.The book’s conversational tone made it easy to read, and the fascinating stories of people from all walks of life made it hard to put down. There are examples of people who have turned difficult problems into successes using the effective communication tips that Sam Horn presents so effectively in her book.Not only does this book have the actual words to say to challenging people, it is also full of memorable quotes that help you think twice before you open your mouth to speak.Each of the 28 chapters deals with a different situation, so you can easily browse through the table of contents and find the chapter that addresses your current problem. At the end of each chapter are a list of “Words to Use” and “Words to Lose” so you can go right to those if you need advice immediately.Even though I read the whole book at once, I’m keeping it in a handy place so I can re-read it and use it often as a reference.In short…Talking on Eggshells, is like a wise friend taking your hand and walking alongside you, advising you on how deal effectively with difficult situations.Get the book now because you never know when the next difficult moment will arrive.

Ms. Sam Horn’s book is a fantastic, well thought out read that neither takes a long time to finish nor put into practice. Coming in at approximately 330 pages, Ms. Horn provides, in essence, a “How to” manual chock full of tactics that anyone can use to avoid conflict (and if need be, start the process of repairing the damage inflicted thereby).Here’s the deal: Engagement with different personalities, temperaments and varying degrees of emotionalities occurs on a daily basis-at home, at work and at school. One of if not the primary struggle people experience in these engagements is they frequently result in conflict, for which people may find themselves at a loss for words when they need them the most. Compound the inability to formulate an appropriate, viable response with heightened emotionality (be it fear, anger, sadness or disgust) and interlocutors may find themselves in endless cycles of woulda, coulda, shoulda.For example, like many others, I haven’t seen eye to eye with all of my co-workers. As I reflect on one particular circumstance, I remember feeling a former co-worker of mine attempted to hinder my work product and impugn my reputation. Life is a dance, so as the old saying goes, “it takes two to tango.” I now wonder how things could have been different had I considered my former co-worker’s priorities, interests and needs (PIN, as Ms. Horn recommends). Maybe that would have changed things for the better. Had it not,Ms. Horn lays out in detail other tactics that I could have tried (e.g., how to deal with manipulators, etc.).I can honestly say that since reading Ms. Horn’s book, I’ve consciously considered others’ PIN and that has resulted in more meaningful dialogue, both personally and professionally. Because of my own experiences, I highly recommend Ms. Horn’s book-without reservation.You won’t be disappointed.

I have been a huge fan of Sam Horn's work for many years. I invited her to Newfoundland to speak at a conference because I believed in her strategies and her philosophy for more effective communication. Sam Horn’s new book, Talking on Eggshells, adds to her impressive body of work. Talking on Eggshells is a must read if you would like to learn words to be more confident and assertive instead of flustered and angry.

Although the advice in the book overall is good, the style of writing is poor and childlike. Why the author thinks it’s a good idea to put sound bite quotes at the beginning of the chapter is beyond me. She also has to rhyme most of her headings, which I find irritating. This book is just an Americanised rehash of communicating mindfully in a non violent way.

It's a real eye opening, well written, book.Clear and packed with quotations and examples that go straight to the point of developing the skills that enable to communicate with others. A must read text.

Sam Horn delivers again with her new book in her signature style of humor, insight, and wisdom. Now I know better how to speak to endear rather than distance, encourage rather than discourage, lift up rather than put down. I love Talking on Eggshells! This book is alive as a resource for the rest of my life!

Super intéressant.