Effective Communication (2nd Edition)

Sway YuBeijing United Publishing Co., Ltd. · ChinaNov 2021

Rating 3.9
Word count
73K words
Chapters
26
ISBN
9787550208124

Tags

Management Interpersonal CommunicationTeam CollaborationWorkplace ManagementField CasesCommunication Strategy

Summary

In today's enterprises and institutions, whether communication within an organization runs smoothly has already become a key factor in whether the organization's wisdom and vitality can be aroused, and it bears even more directly on the organization's future development. Yet not everyone is able to communicate effectively, or to move with ease when communicating with superiors, subordinates and peers; people sometimes fall into all kinds of communication traps. Why is communication so difficult? What obstacles does it involve? How can one communicate effectively? In this book, management training expert Yu Shiwei draws on his many years of management training experience and insight, and in a plain and humorous way points the way for you, teaching you to untangle the puzzle of communication with ease and achieve effective communication.

Editor's review

Effective Communication (2nd Edition), one of Dr. Yu Shiwei's representative works, has been a bestseller in China's management training field for over a decade. On the basis of retaining its core framework, the new edition updates its content in light of communication scenarios in the digital age. This is not merely a textbook on communication skills; rooted in the author's decades of experience as a corporate executive and trainer, it systematically deconstructs the underlying logic of internal and external organizational communication.

From a professional standpoint, the book's standout value lies in its problem-oriented, pragmatic style. Yu Shiwei does not stop at theory but uses a wealth of real corporate cases to analyze the causes of communication breakdowns—whether the distortion of reports between superiors and subordinates, the barriers to cross-departmental collaboration, or deadlocks in client negotiations. The tools the book proposes, such as the "communication funnel" and the "pyramid principle," are not original concepts, but after the author's localized interpretation they show a high degree of fit with Chinese workplace culture.

Notably, the book's limitations are equally clear: some cases feel dated, and it gives insufficient attention to new communication modes in the social media era (such as remote collaboration and community interaction); moreover, the book leans heavily toward organizational management scenarios and covers communication in personal daily life only to a limited extent. Overall, however, it remains a hands-on manual worth revisiting for managers and team leaders—it may not offer revolutionary theoretical breakthroughs, but it can help readers systematically examine the gaps in their own communication systems and build a path to improvement from mindset to behavior.

Who it's for

A good fit for

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Reading tips

  1. Use the "self-assessment checklist" at the end of each chapter for periodic review of your practice
  2. Focus on Chapter 3, "Upward Communication," and Chapter 5, "Lateral Communication," whose insights into Chinese organizational ecosystems are especially deep
  3. Read with a "problem list" approach: first identify your own communication pain points, then look up the relevant chapters

About the publisher

Beijing United Publishing Co., Ltd. China · Founded in 1993

Beijing United Publishing Co., Ltd. is a publisher known for its literature and history titles, with 2,065 books in the collection. Its publishing covers foreign literature, contemporary Chinese prose and essays, history, folk literature, and cultural books. Its list ranges from Sima Qian's complete edition of the Records of the Grand Historian to foreign classics such as The Book of Disquiet, All Quiet on the Western Front, Snow Country, The Stranger, and Jean-Christophe, as well as modern Chinese works including Teahouse and Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk. Its authors and translators include Yasunari Kawabata, Fernando Pessoa, Erich Maria Remarque, Jin Xinyi, Zhou Miao, and Chen Chao. Public information is limited, but its catalogue reflects a balance between Chinese and foreign literary classics and historical and cultural works.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 前言 人人都要上沟通课
  3. 第一章 沟通也是生产力
  4. 第一节 沟通，要从“心”开始
  5. 第二节 沟通，让企业更高效
  6. 第二章 改善沟通是企业的当务之急
  7. 第一节 不会沟通，搞再多形式都没用
  8. 第二节 不消除三大症结，有效沟通便是空谈
  9. 第三章 沟通为什么这么难
  10. 第一节 个人之间存在沟通障碍
  11. 第二节 组织内部存在沟通障碍
  12. 第四章 如何突破障碍实现有效沟通
  13. 第一节 保证沟通到位，避免踢皮球
  14. 第二节 说话既有重点，又有技巧
  15. 第三节 会说更要会倾听
  16. 第五章 沟通需要好过程
  17. 第一节 沟通是门技术活
  18. 第二节 保证沟通渠道畅通
  19. 第三节 消除沟通漏斗现象，保证信息不失真
  20. 第六章 态度是沟通的第一生命
  21. 第一节 应以怎样的态度进行沟通
  22. 第二节 沟通时不搞小动作
  23. 第七章 通过行为语言看透对方真实想法
  24. 第一节 行为语言由哪些要素构成
  25. 第二节 读懂形形色色的行为语言
  26. 第八章 七个技巧，让上司了解你

FAQ

How does this book differ from classic communication books such as Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People? This book focuses more on organizational management scenarios, emphasizing the systemic role of communication in boosting workplace effectiveness rather than generalized interpersonal skills. The author's background as a corporate executive means most cases stem from real management dilemmas, and the tools and methods are more process-oriented.
What substantive updates does the 2nd edition offer compared with the old one? It mainly adds advice on using digital communication tools (such as email etiquette and collaboration via meeting software) and updates some corporate cases. The core methodological framework has not been substantially adjusted, so returning readers can focus on the new chapters.
Are the book's methods applicable to young teams made up mostly of post-95s and post-00s? The basic communication principles (such as clear expression and active listening) remain universally applicable, but specific applications need adjustment for younger generations' communication preferences. Managers are advised to pay particular attention to the supplementary content in Chapter 6, "Generational Communication Differences."

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About the author

Sway Yu Author · Chinese · 1948

Sway Yu was born in Shanghai in 1948, with ancestral roots in Xiaogan, Hubei. He grew up in Taiwan and later studied in the United States and the United Kingdom, earning a doctorate in public decision-making from Nova University in the US. He previously served as deputy general manager of Japan Airlines' Taiwan region and vice president of the US company Aloe Vera, among other positions, and later focused on corporate management training and consulting. He has been called "the first figure in Chinese management education." His books are aimed mainly at professionals and managers and center on execution, middle management, effective communication, team building, and the qualities of professional managers. Representative works include Win in Execution, Win at the Middle Level, Effective Communication, Execution, 11 Common Mistakes of Professional Managers, Building High-Performance Teams, and The Five Disciplines of Professional Managers. His writing combines practical experience with cases, uses direct language, and stresses actionable methods, giving him a notable influence in Chinese-language management training and personal-growth books.