Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time
Susan Scott

Marie's Review

This book has been recommended time and again to Peeler Associates clients who report back that, while not telling them anything that they did not already realize on some level, it hit them upside the head with just what they needed. Through stories and anecdotes that support her points, Scott insists that we confront reality, acknowledge what is true, and deal with it in our conversations.

While this might sound to some like a license to run roughshod with words, she is also quick to point out what we all know which is that, even when a leader whispers, others hear her (or him) shout. Things that we say, that may seem insignificant to us, come back to haunt us when the words become bigger than life. Therefore, it is imperative that we be present and fully engaged during our conversations and stay mindful of the “emotional wake” that we leave. She encourages us to “deliver the message without the load” and provides us with tools such as “mineral rights” and a model for confrontation. A relatively quick read, Fierce Conversations, illustrates why leaders must have honest conversations – even difficult ones – and then demonstrates how.