Communicate with Courage: Taking Risks to Overcome the Four Hidden Challenges

by Michelle D Gladieux

Overview

Confront the psychological blocks that are holding you back—and become a fearless and peerless communicator.
 
Winner of the 2023 PenCraft Best Book Award for Nonfiction, 2023 Nonprofit Authors Association Silver Award, 2023 Readers’ Favorite Bronze Medal Award for Business, and 2023 Dan Poynter’s Global Ebook Gold Award for Communications

As a lifelong communication coach, Michelle Gladieux has discovered the four sneaky obstacles that can keep you from becoming an effective communicator:

Hiding—Fearing your low self-confidence will expose your supposed weaknesses
Defining—Putting too much stock into your assumptions and being quick to judge right and wrong
Rationalizing—Using “being realistic” to shield yourself from taking chances, engaging in conflict, or doing other scary but potentially rewarding actions
Settling—Stopping at good enough instead of pushing for something better

What all these challenges have in common is they require taking risks—to reveal yourself, to question your beliefs, to take a leap of faith, or to move out of your comfort zone. As a response, each chapter includes a Pro Move, or a best practice, and an exercise designed to help you overcome your fears and become a powerful communicator. Courageous communication requires self-knowledge, practice, and a fierce desire to continually improve; this book is like having an expert coach along with you for every step of the journey.
 
“[A] wonderful book.” —Karl W. Einolf, PhD, President, Indiana Institute of Technology

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781523003143
Publisher:	Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Publication date:	10/17/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	161
Sales rank:	245,611
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Michelle Gladieux is President of Gladieux Consulting, a Midwest-based team known for the design and presentation of seminars in communication and leadership topics around the U.S. She facilitates strategic planning and executive coaching for clients in diverse industries, in governments, at non-profits, and in academia. She has 18 years of collegiate teaching experience at three universities in her home state of Indiana, accepting her first faculty position at age 23. She's worked as a Human Resources and Training Director in the cold storage, robotics, and construction industries and enjoys visiting conferences as a keynote speaker and workshop presenter. She's dedicated her professional life to helping employees at all levels GROW.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 Strength invulnerability (Saying "Nobody's Perfect," and Meaning It) 7

Chapter 2 Understand Risk to Improve Your Relationships and Career 27

Chapter 3 The Hunt for Hidden Challenges (The Blind Spots You Most Need to See) 39

Chapter 4 Hidden Challenge #1: Hiding from Risk 53

Chapter 5 Hidden Challenge #2: Defining to Be Right 65

Chapter 6 Hidden Challenge #3: Rationalizing the Negative 77

Chapter 7 Hidden Challenge #4: Settling for "Good Enough" 89

Chapter 8 Risks Not Worth Taking 101

Chapter 9 The Most Important Conversations to Have 111

Chapter 10 The Complete Risk-Taking Communicator 127

Conclusion 139

Notes 143

Gratitude 147

Index 151

About the Author 159

Editorial Reviews

Communicating with courage is life changing. Michelle draws from extensive experience to provide immediately actionable Pro Moves. Her extraordinary empathy comes through with relatable examples from diverse worlds, from music to business to sports. You’ll read this book more than once because it will help you transform your relationship with yourself and other people.”
—Jillian Ihsanullah, PhD, leadership and inclusion researcher and former Senior Vice President, Right Management
 
“I wish I had read this book decades ago. Michelle provides immediately useful ways to shine a light on habits we often can’t see that get in the way of effective communication. An indispensable read.”
—Jonathan Walker, MD, founder of Modestly Mindful LLC
 
“I wanted to make sure my performance evaluations with my senior leaders were meaningful. I hired Michelle to help, and she taught me some of the Pro Moves in this wonderful book. You will benefit greatly from applying them to your own personal and professional life.”
—Karl W. Einolf, PhD, President, Indiana Institute of Technology

From the Publisher