[chelllman]

Rand said in his resignation that he'd really like this community to communicate better, but that's something that's really hard to do without a concerted effort.

I'm one of the weird people that absolutely loves public speaking, debate, discussion, and good old fashion argument. Even more, I love the theory behind human conversation which is really funny because a lot of the people in my field of study absolutely hate communication.

I'd like to share some of my favorite books/resources I've read in my spare time.

"But chelllman, I don't have time to do that". I used to think so too until I watched a wonderful lecture on procrastination by psychology Professor Tim Pychyl - link
I listen to audio books and lectures when I'm driving, adds up to about 30 minutes a day or so and that's all that's needed. Doing some reading while on the toilet also works, I shit you not (pun intended).

If you can't afford or don't want to pay for audio books, or you want to actually read something, then for legal reasons I am absolutely NOT telling you to take the book titles, add "free PDF online" to the end of it and google it.

1. "Never split the difference" - Chris Voss: absolutely amazing book on negotiation, stuff in the book helped me a lot with negotiating contracts, salaries, etc.
2. "How to talk to anyone" - Leil Lowndes: great book for strategies with in-person communication
3. "How to win friends and influence people" - Dale Carnegie: a timeless classic that really helps you phrase what you are trying to say correctly.
4. "Thank you for arguing" - Jay Heinrichs: great book about persuasive argument
5. "Crucial conversations" - Joseph Grenny et al.: really good book for dealing with high pressure or emotional argument situations

Effective communication is something that needs to be practiced and studied. You want to negotiate a raise? You need practice. You want to convey your ideas when emotions are running high? You need tools to effectively communicate. I can also provide other books/resources I've found helpful beyond these if anyone wants.

Also, feel free to reach out if you ever wanna discuss communication strategies. I find this stuff absolutely fascinating.