Bridge the Gap: Breakthrough Communication Tools to Transform Work Relationships From Challenging to Collaborative
Jennifer Edwards and Katie McCleary
McGraw Hill (February 2022)

‘The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” George Bernard Shaw

I cannot recall a prior time when it was more difficult to communicate effectively than it is now, and yet — paradoxically — never before have we had better communication systems and resources than we do now.  You know where I am headed.

In this book, Jennifer Edwards and Katie McCleary really do offer a selection of “breakthrough communication tools to transform work relationships from challenging to collaborative.” They inert each in a context, a frame of reference, within which to reveal its potential effectiveness. The tools can prevent or diminish (if not eliminate) gaps of understanding. (Note: The word communication literally means “to make common.” That is, the intended meaning is crystal clear. This is what Shaw has in mind in the assertion stated earlier.

Edwards and McCleary explain HOW to become an impactful communicator in all relationships:

o “Taking personal responsibility for how you show up in the relationship and/or in each transaction.
o Using curiosity as a reliable tool and intentional filter for how you listen, speak, and engage in relationship building.
o Communicating openly so that all parties can speak their minds and truths to find a way forward.”

These points are especially valuable during group discussions such as brainstorming sessions or when attempting to solve significant problems or answer serious questions.

Note: The same skills can help to ensure that, during these discussions, the group’s approach is inclusive or the focus is on the right problem or question.

The key to healthy relationships is to develop psychological flexibility. How so?  “A psychologically flexible person is someone who has both an attitude and skillset that allows them to bed curious about a wide range of experiences without feeling judgment, rejection, or discomfort…someone who] may hear or witness something new and become curious about what they didn’t know. They choose to listen [attentively], ask questions, and explore new thinking instead of becoming suspicious, defensive, or stuck in their ways of thinking about something.”

Edwards and McCleary make clever use of several reader-friendly devices that include hollow and solid bullet points, checklists, boxed “The Big Aha!” points of emphasis, and Exhibits as well as “Reflection Questions,” “Action Items,” and “Join the Conversation Online” sections at the conclusion of Chapters 3-13.

I presume to add two suggestions. First, highlight key passages and keep a lined notebook near at hand in which to record your questions, comments, pages references, and responses to the aforementioned “Reflection Questions.” These tactics will facilitate, indeed expedite frequent review of key material later. Also, I urge you to keep in mind this revelation from several dozen major research studies: When in a face-to-face conversation, at least 70-80% of the impact (for better or worse) is determined by body language and tone of voice. Only 30% or less of the impact is determined by what is said.

Jennifer Edwards and Katie McCleary share what they have learned about developing healthy relationships — within and beyond the workplace culture — and do so with high-impact communication skills. However, the value of the book will be determined almost entirely by how well readers use that material to avoid or diminish gaps in their relationships with others.