Social

Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships
$16.00
Dr. Goleman has written a masterpiece by separating our "Low Brain" from our "High Brain". Using this construct as a common thread he is able to articulate how we have been programmed to sense things "socially" in milliseconds and dialog and writen words in seconds and minutes. The most powerful example used is how people on a common platform, when something is not ordinary,can be quickly calmed down by the simple, social connection of seeing how others are perceiving the event. From that construct we can now all see why it is much easier for us to communicate in person as opposed to reading something or talking on a phone. Furthermore our "High Brain" as we develop can deteriorate the use of our "Low Brain" leaving us less able to effectively communicate socially. Finally he opines that we can retrieve our "Low Brain" awareness and compliment it with our "High Brain" communication by using leaning tools to "Re-Teach" ourselves how to read "Low Brain" signals. And if we don't it is to our own detriment. In the world of emails, twitter and other on-line socializing losing our "Low Brain" skills is more and more likely and will ultimately make it harder and harder to communicate person-to-person.

Conversationally Speaking : Tested New Ways to Increase Your Personal and Social Effectiveness
$16.95
You know, when I first found out about this book it was at a Barnes & Nobles. I just randomly pickup this book and start reading because I feel like connection with other people via conversation area of life can always be improved for everyone.

For some reason, once I started reading this book, I was hooked. Most book I flip through once but this book made me keep going back and finish reading it.

After I finished it I shall move on to another book, right? NO, this book actually has some much content and actual examples of conversations and I MUST BUY IT. It is one of the MUST BUY book on your bookshelf if you want to learn about the art and science of having conversations with others.

There is another book I DO NOT recommend is How To Start A Conversation And Make Friends by Don Gabor because it only tells you WHAT TO DO and never mention the HOW TO DO IT part.

Conversationally Speaking give you a little WHAT TO DO part and massive amount of HOW TO DO IT part to back it up.

Want to get all your money worth and more, GET THIS BOOK ~ ~ ~

P.S. By the way, this book is my initiation into the self help/self improvement journey. Thanks to the book and thanks to its author.

The Social Styles Handbook: Find Your Comfort Zone and Make People Feel Comfortable with You
$19.95
If you lead a nonprofit organization and depend on year-end donor gifts, you'll get plenty of wisdom from staff, board members and other donors about how the economy will affect giving. You'll need to filter that advice through your understanding of the four social styles: Analyticals, Drivers, Amiables and Expressives. It's all about finding your comfort zone and understanding the comfort zone of others, including donors.

Will your revenue go up or down next year? When making decisions, Analyticals avoid risk, based on facts. Drivers take risks, based on intuition. Amiables avoid risk, based on opinion. Expressives take risks, based on hunches. Do you have a mix of all four styles on your staff and board? Do you understand, and leverage, the social styles of your major donors?

Analyticals appreciate data. Your Vision 2020 proposal has 16 pages, but that may not be enough information for an Analytical. Donors who are drivers want you to get to the bottom line ASAP. Forget the PowerPoint and the chitchat. Amiables value an unhurried appointment with a focus on close relationships and peace. Yet Expressives value interaction, involvement and a fast pace. And don't make it boring!

Stop! Don't make one more donor call until you've read this book. While there are many good "people systems" out there going back as far as Hippocrates' four temperaments, I recommend you become a student of the four social styles. This system is easy to remember and doesn't require a one-day seminar or an expensive assessment. For more information and both faith-based and marketplace books (and the science behind the four social styles), read the People Bucket, one of 20 competencies in my book, Mastering The Management Buckets: 20 Critical Competencies for Leading Your Business or Non-profit.

To make it practical in the trenches, ask these two questions in your next staff meeting: 1) "Here's a copy of this month's direct mail donor appeal. Does it speak to all four social styles (Analyticals, Drivers, Expressives, and Amiables)? How could this letter be improved?" 2) "What social style is your pastor? Do the sermons routinely speak to all four social styles? Give examples."

My Social Stories Book
$18.95
I work with moderate-profoundly autistic preschoolers (ages 3-5) both with and without comorbid mental retardation. I was tempted by the book because it says it has stories for things my students are often frightened of including trips to the hairdresser and having nails trimmed. However, the stories in the book are much too high level for these children to understand. For the right age range, this book could be an invaluable resource and a great time-saver. I would say it would be more appropriate for higher functioning students with disabilities including Asperger's Syndrome and school age students with Autism. Overall a good product, just not for my age range.