“The gift of this book is that it gives us a pathway to the future. If we were to begin to engage one another again in earnest and honest conversation, if we would slow down sufficiently to reengage with each other and with the purposes of our work, we could find our way out of the messes we’ve created….”
Margaret J. Wheatley
Leadership and the New Science

Frequently workplace conversations—between managers and direct reports, peer-to-peer, or with external stakeholders— create parent-child relationships. Both sides hide facts, sugarcoat reality and claim helplessness to try to control the interaction and ultimately get what they want.

This book exposes the destructiveness of these, and other, manipulative conversations, and demonstrates how we can move to honest and authentic interactions that create adult relationships. The result is increased commitment, true accountability, and improved business performance. It also provides a hands-on guide, including sample scripts, for dealing with a host of potentially difficult conversations.


Being published by Berrett-Koehler, Inc. Available for ordering online on August 8. In bookstores September 15.

PREORDER NOW