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The Clarity Factor

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The Clarity Factor

The Four Secrets to Being Clearly Understood

Sourcebooks,

15 min read
10 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

When Gloria bewilders her resentful employee, criticizes her sullen teenager and interrupts her distracted husband, she’s not being a pill – she’s just communicating badly. But to everyone’s relief, Gloria clears up her communications — and so can you.

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Editorial Rating

6

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Well Structured
  • For Beginners

Recommendation

Meet Gloria, harried boss, wife and mother. She’s an intelligent, competent and well-intentioned person, so she can’t figure out why Marty, her terminally put-upon employee resents her, why her husband Bill ignores her, or why conversations with her teenage son Todd always turn into shouting matches. Through a series of enlightening interactions, Gloria shows readers how seemingly hopeless relationships can be resurrected when communications improve. Author Ray DiZazzo uses hypothetical examples to illustrate his tips for clear communications. His narrative won’t win any literary awards, but it is surprisingly effective at teaching readers how to communicate better. getAbstract recommends his book to all managers, because your job hinges in large part on communicating effectively. Now is that perfectly clear?

Summary

You Are What You Communicate

Journalists and broadcasters aren’t the only professionals in the communications business. No matter what your profession, communication is your most important skill. Speaking and listening effectively can bring you monetary reward and personal happiness. Executives of large companies routinely cite communication skills as significant for advancement. In marriages, poor communication is a major factor leading to discontent and divorce. Speaking and listening well are critical for professional and personal success. Yet, few people spend time analyzing and improving their communications skills.

Without realizing it, many executives communicate poorly. To project a tough, no-nonsense, results-oriented image, they often communicate tersely. This approach yields confusion (subordinates and colleagues aren’t sure what the executive means), frustration (misinterpretation leads to wasted effort) and bruised feelings (the executive’s communication style ignores the listeners’ points of view and emotions).

Clarity avoids frustration, reduces stress, saves time, makes communication rewarding and enjoyable and produces a feeling of connection...

About the Author

Ray DiZazzo  is an author, consultant, columnist and speaker. The Clarity Factor is his seventh book. He has taught communications skills to employees of GTE and J.D. Power and Associates and to the executive staff of the Kent City Council in England. DiZazzo lives in Southern California.

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