Birth, death, and conflict-three things you truly can't avoid. Whether it's big or small, conflict eats into productivity and makes people feel stuck. Yet solutions exist for even the toughest situations with the most intractable people. The answer

lies in better communication-not just using different words, but rather learning to think differently.

I Hear You supplies proven techniques for stepping outside one's point of view and seeing things from other perspectives. Sample dialogues show how this shift in thinking leads to better conversations and greatly improved outcomes. Listeners learn how to:

• Tell the other person's story-the cornerstone of real engagement

• Look from the outside in and see themselves as others do

• Recognize the role systemic factors play-and transform a conflict into a shared challenge

• Overcome the defense mechanisms that derail dialogue

For anyone trying to negotiate a difficult situation with a boss, colleague, employee, or client, I Hear You cha