I remember the first time I published a personal post on LinkedIn.
It was about my upcoming book, back in 2019. I paced around the room, wrote something, thought about it, over thought about it some more. Finally grew some chest hair and posted.
These days I write, post, and don’t even think too much about it.
LinkedIn has become a playground for me to test ideas, practice my communication skills, and build credibility through consistency. I’ve learned that you have to do that thing you want to do to really know how to do it.
Experience is your best teacher.
The second best would be learning from a practitioner.
And a lot of times they put their best ideas in books.
Good idea, bad wording:
A lot of good work goes unseen because of bad communication.
You share something with people and they look at you like they are looking through you.
You blame it on the system.
You blame it on the algorithm.
You blame it on the Trumps and Musks.
Perhaps, it’s you.
Maybe?
It’s just not about your “great idea.” It’s how you present it.
Communicating an idea is as important as the idea itself.
Getting better at communication is important and requires practice. A good place I have found to start acquiring knowledge is in books.
Books help you take shortcuts in life.
You can do the same with your communication skills.
7 Books that changed the way I think about communications:
In my twenties, I devoured books, looking for answers.
I never found them.
I read everything from philosophy, science, religious books, psychology, history, to business books, hoping one of them would give me the final answer to the ultimate meaning of life.
Each book gave me new questions to ask.
What it did, however, was provide a shortcut to understand how other people think and approach life. Books are a great way to follow a train of thought and bring order to your life.
Books about communication will give you tools that will help you do and present significant work.
Here are 9 books that helped me improve my communications skills.
1. The Storyteller’s Secret
By Carmine Gallo
This book falls in that “self-help” category.
Even the cover makes you know what section of the bookstore you’ll find it in. However, it’s one of the first books about communications that stuck with me.
The author gives a tool in each chapter that you can use to improve your communications. From the use of repetition, metaphors, and cadence, this book is very tactical.
You’ll leave with at least one thing you can use the day after reading it.
2. Storyworthy
By Matthew Dicks
You might have heard me mention this in a previous letter about being origial.
This is one of the more recent books on my list. The author breaks down how to find worthy stories in your everyday personal story.
For anyone who thinks they don’t have a story to share, this book will unlock your treasure chest of storytelling.
3. Rules for the Dance
By Mary Oliver
I always remember sitting by the window at the 3Bees cafe in San Mateo, whenever I think about this book. That’s where I read it.
I came across it randomly at the San Mateo library. The book is about writing poetry. It goes through the different formats, meters, and styles of poetry.
For anyone that wants to use more metaphors and imagery in their storytelling, learn the dance.
4. Born to Use Mics
By Michael Eric Dyson.
“Poetry, that’s a part of me”
That’s a line from one of my favorite albums – Illmatic.
I was blown away at the borders bookstore (yeah, who remembers borders?), back in Austin, TX, when I found out there was an entire book written about this classic music album.
The author, Eric Dyson, dissects the lyrics of Nas and his amazing storytelling about the life of a 19-year old in Queensbridge, New York. This inspired me to think about the different formats to communicate ideas, from songs to books, to books about songs.
I ended up writing a book about music myself.
5. The Bezos Blueprint
By Carmine Gallo
Let’s get back to business.
This book is the newest on my list. It’s by the same author who wrote the Storyteller’s Secret. He focused on the communication tips used by Jeff Bezos, who grew Amazon from a small garage in Seattle to one of the biggest companies in the world.
The author discusses the importance of writing and how it clarifies your thinking, using examples of how Bezos and his team used it to create and communicate new products such as the Kindle, AWS, and Amazon Prime that a lot of us use today.
This is for anyone who wants to sharpen up their business communication chops.
6. Supercommunicators
By Charles Duhigg
This book left me with a very important framework about having impactful conversations.
A lot of times, we get into discussions not knowing what is needed on the other side. For instance, I’m the person trying to solve a problem. But when people come to me, sometimes all they want to do is vent, so my solution-oriented approach is not that helpful.
The framework is to first clarify this question: “What kind of conversation are we trying to have?”
You can find this out by asking “Do you want to be heard, helped, or hugged?”
The answer to that question helps you know the communication style to choose.
Communication is about the nuances. Learn them and become a supercommunicator.
7. The Hero with a Thousand Faces
By Joseph Campbell.
I have a confession.
Don’t take it personal.
I haven’t read this book.
Even though I haven’t read it, I have consumed close to a thousand articles, documentaries, YouTube videos, and podcasts about the main concept from this book – the hero’s journey.
In the book, the author describes how most stories, legends, myths across cultures have a similar pattern. He shares 17 steps most main characters in a story take.
If there was one tool that I want you to learn, it is the hero’s journey. I’ve used it in my books, videos, and articles.
Once you learn about this, you’ll see it everywhere in your favorite movie, book, and songs.
8. Do Story: How to tell your story so the world listens
By Bobette Buster
I picked this up at one of those fancy bookstores at the museum or airport.
It’s a very small book but impactful. The author shared 10 tips to make your story accessible. One of my most memorable tips is “Make the personal, universal.”
Finding personal stories and connecting it to a universal theme that a lot of people can relate to.
Note: Looking to find your personal stories? Check out Storyworthy above.
Get this book for a very casual weekend read.
9. The War of Art
By Steven Pressfield
This is less about communication and more about overcoming the thing that stops you from telling your story.
In this book, the author talks about something he calls “resistance” and how it shows up whenever you want to do anything that will make you a better version of yourself.
Whether it’s writing your story, following a creative pursuit, starting a new venture, beginning an exercise and diet regime, or a new spiritual practice. Whenever you want to evolve, resistance shows up.
This book gives very practical steps to recognize resistance in all its forms and then how to overcome it.
Do the communication thing
Books provide a perspective through the author’s lens.
These books about communication have helped me learn a lot and I hope they can help you too.
Yours truly,
Nifemi
