Supercommunicators

Since ancient times, humans have loved to talk about talking. Cicero, an Ancient Greek statesman and philosopher, set out rules for good conversations. And over the centuries, guidance for good talk hasn’t varied much. Mostly, the advice goes, let others speak, pay attention to what they say, show interest, ask questions, don’t gossip, and don’t talk too much about yourself.

Journalist Charles Duhigg — the best-selling author of The Power of Habit — is a veteran business reporter. A graduate of Yale College and Harvard Business School, he writes for The New Yorker and has served as senior editor at The New York Times. But when Duhigg found himself struggling to communicate and connect with his nearest and dearest, he undertook three years of study to learn how to improve the way he listened and spoke. That research underlies Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection, another of Duhigg’s deep dives into a vital, everyday human activity.