Title Pause for Breath – Bringing the Practices of Mindfulness and Dialogue to Leadership Conversations
Author Amanda Ridings
Publisher Live It Publishing
ISBN 978 19069 5423 9
Usefulness 5/5
For leaders, coaches, mentors and supervisors, conversation is the unseen heart of our business. This well-researched book holds many of the keys to highly skilled, effective communication.
It deserves to become the standard companion to our everyday business and professional conversations. The style is crystal clear and the dialogue with the reader mirrors the author’s practices – so much so that it is impossible to race through the chapters.
We are introduced to the main moves we make in conversation: opposing, listening, following, bystanding, enquiring and advocating. Through new information and practices, we are shown how to become more effective communicators.
Ridings looks at the need to balance advocacy with enquiry and shares insightful observations. She takes the reader through key influencers: the differences between impact and intent and how we might recognise these.
Speaking truth in challenging situations is a common experience for leaders and coaches and Ridings brings rich insights in the chapter ‘Spirit and Conversation’.
This splendid book offers readers many ways to become more conscious, skilled communicators – I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Edna Murdoch is director of Coaching Supervision Academy www.coachingsupervisionacademy.com
Coaching at Work, Volume 6, Issue 6