Book Title: The Gentle Art of Verbal Self Defense at Work

Author: Suzette Haden Elgin

Publisher: Prentice Hall Press

ISBN: 0-7352-0089-0

Review by Barbara De Vries

This book is another in the series of “Gentle Art” books.  Have you ever been in a work situation where there was someone you worked with that always got the verbal upper-hand with you?  Or always cut you off in conversation or in a meeting?  Or who subtly sabotaged your ideas, but you didn’t know how to come back and recover?  Well, this book is for you.

In addition to recognizing manipulation and deflecting those comments, this book teaches skills about: better communication by recognizing visual versus auditory communication, e.g. ("I see what you mean" versus "I hear you")

It discusses that communication skills can be taught and learned, not just the result of luck, inheritance or genius.

Communication is generally cited as a major cause of failure of projects and strife on the job.  This book will help you to be more successful, especially if communication has ever been noted as one of your weak points, or if there is a “verbal bully” in your environment. .  The book also discusses the interpretation differences in work situations between men and women.

A sample chapter title is “ Malpractice of the Mouth”.

Paperback - (January 2000) 340 pages