Comebacks at Work: Using Conversation to Master Confrontation - Hardcover

Reardon, Kathleen Kelley; Noblet, Christopher T.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0061771023 ISBN 13: 9780061771026

Publisher: Harper Business, 2010

Synopsis

A stimulating, thought-provoking book that lets you know how to break free of negative behavior, take control of office politics, and prevent difficult, repetitive, and avoidable situations. Reardon—a frequent HuffingtonPost contributor and professor at the Marshall School of Business—arms readers with the tools they need to take control of conversations in the workplace. Comebacks at Work combines the best qualities of Deborah Tannen's Talking from 9 to 5, Kerry Patterson's Crucial Conversations, and Douglas Stone's Difficult Conversations, a perfect workplace guide to getting what you deserve.

About this title

About the Author

KATHLEEN KELLEY REARDON's newest book, the mystery thriller SHADOW CAMPUS, is her debut novel.  She has published 10 books and has been a featured political blogger for Huffington Post since 2006; is Professor Emerita at USC Marshall School of Business, and was named the UConn alumni association 2013 Humanitarian of the Year. She has appeared on The Today Show, NBC Nightly News and Good Morning America, and her research and writing have been the subject of hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles and broadcast news segments. Her first book, PERSUASION IN PRACTICE, (now in a revised edition), was described by Public Opinion Quarterly as "a landmark contribution to the field" of research and theory in persuasion. Her first trade book, THEY DON'T GET IT, DO THEY?, was based on her initial Harvard Business Review article "The Memo Every Woman Keeps in Her Desk," an HBR reprint best seller. Her latest HBR article is "Courage as a Skill."She published THE SECRET HANDSHAKE in 2000, an Amazon business and nonfiction bestseller that provides a rare and perceptive inside look at the politics of business; IT'S ALL POLITICS, which provides a deeper analysis of workplace politics; THE SKILLED NEGOTIATOR, and more recently COMEBACKS AT WORK: USING CONVERSATION TO MASTER CONFRONTATION. Her breakthrough Guide to International Business Gift Giving was used for many years by the White House Office of Protocol and protocol chiefs for nations and businesses worldwide. Dr. Reardon was earlier a professor of Communication Sciences at UCONN. She earned her Ph.D., at UMass Amherst with distinction and won the NCA national dissertation award. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi and Mortar Board. She has consulted for many individuals, and companies large and small around the world on topics related to communication, persuasion, negotiation and politics at work.

From the Back Cover

The workplace guide to putting "I wish I'd said" moments in the past

Ever wish that you could have a "do over" after a conversation at work? Do you often find yourself regretting what you've said to a coworker—or kicking yourself for not saying something better, stronger, or more precise? If so, you're like most people, and in Comebacks at Work, management professor and consultant Kathleen Kelley Reardon, Ph.D., provides the tips and tools you need to know what to say—and how to say it better—next time.

In this compelling, entertaining book, Reardon argues that we are responsible for 75 percent of the way we're treated at work, and our success—or failure—at the workplace depends largely on how we handle ourselves in conversation with our colleagues. To break free of the stale scripts and expected actions that allow politically astute people to manipulate us, we must increase our conversational awareness and effectively employ what Reardon calls "comebacks." Comebacks at Work provides a game plan for doing so and explains:

• Why some comebacks work, while others fall flat;
• Why our mind goes blank when we are confronted, and how to overcome that response;
• How to determine which comebacks work, and when to use them.

Every conversation is different, and while many situations are common, one set of comebacks isn't enough. Offering a personalized repertoire of comebacks and a plan for using them strategically as well as the skills you will need to package them for maximum effect, Comebacks at Work will prepare you for any difficult conversation that comes your way.

From the Inside Flap

The Workplace Guide to Putting 'I wish I'd said" moments in the past.

Ever wish that you could have a "do over" after a conversation at work? Do you often find yourself regretting what you've said to a coworker--or kicking yourself for not saying something better, stronger, or more precise? If so, you're like most people, and in Comebacks at Work, Kathleen Kelley Reardon, PhD, provides the tips and tools you need to know what to say--and how to say it better--next time.

In this compelling, entertaining book, Reardon argues that we are responsible for 75 percent of the way we're treated at work, and our success--or failure--at the workplace depends largely on how we handle ourselves in conversation with our colleagues. To break free of the stale scripts and expected actions that allow politically astute people to manipulate us, we must increase our conversational awareness and effectively employ what Reardon calls "comebacks." Comebacks at Work provides a game plan for doing so and explains:

• why some combacks work, while others fall flat;
• why our mind goes blank when we are confronted, and how to overcome that response;
• how to determine which comebacks work, and when to use them.

Every conversation is different, and while many situations are common, one set of comebacks isn't enough. Offering a personalized repertoire of comebacks and a plan for using them strategically as well as the skills you will need to package them for maximum effect, Comebacks at Workwill prepare you for any difficult conversation that comes your way.

Kathleen Kelley Reardon PhD is a professor of management at the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California; a consultant and speaker at such major corporations as Pfizer, Siemans, Epson, IBM, News Corporation, and Toyota; and one of Huffington Post.com's signature and top bloggers, whose writing is frequently picked up and featured on Yahoo. She has appeared on Good Morning America with Charlie Gibson and Nancy Snyderman, NBC Nightly News, the Today Show, and Bloomberg. She is the author of nine books, including The Secret Handshake, It's All Politics, and The Skilled Negotiator. Dr. Reardon is also a distinguished fellow of First Star, which advocates for the rights and education of children at risk. She lives in Rhode Island.

Christopher T. Noblet is a freelance writer and editor with a background in speech writing and public affairs. He has an M.A. from the University of Connecticut and an international MBA from the University of Southern California. He writes for Audiophile Voice and also lives in Rhode Island.

Reviews

A handbook for anyone who's ever walked away from a work confrontation, fuming--only to think of the perfect rejoinder an hour later. Reardon (The Secret Handshake) breaks down the art of the comeback, emphasizing preparation, keeping your cool, and handling conflicts with a carefully thought-out strategy, pointing out that each of us is at least 75% responsible for how people respond to us. She helps readers change their mindsets, getting past the mental models learned early in life that we later use for dealing with emotional or threatening issues at work. Through a thorough briefing of the different kinds of bullies we might face at work--the puppeteer, the complainer, etc.--and strategies for telling when it's best to walk away and when it's time to engage, she guides readers to self-discovery and skills, from honing their gut instincts to mastering facial expressions and gestures needed to overcome comeback brain freeze. A lively, encouraging book, bound to banish l'esprit d'escalier forever.
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Edition details

• Publisher: Harper Business
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0061771023
• ISBN 13: 9780061771026
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240