Conversations For Action and Collected Essays: Instilling a Culture of Commitment in Working Relationships

by Fernando Flores, Maria Flores Letelier (Editor)

How do we create value for ourselves and others while at the same time participating in today’s free market economy? How do we produce results while at the same time developing relationships where we take care of each other in the process? Today, instead of productively and joyfully engaging with broad networks of people, we are increasingly stressed by our working relationships. With networked technology, disconnecting is becoming increasingly more difficult. In order to build productive and trusting relationships, we must learn skills that will enable us to build trust, coordinate our commitments more effectively, listen to each other and build networks of commitments for the sake of producing value for ourselves, for our families, for the organizations in which we participate, for our communities, and for our world as a whole. The essays in this collection offer a framework for developing more effective, productive relationships in the workplace or in any context where a person must coordinate with others to make something happen. The essays describe how to effectively make commitments that allow us to create something of value. Describing Flores’ network of commitments/conversations for action framework, a framework that has been cited in more than three thousand books, the author paints a vivid view of language as action rather than just words that transfer information from one place (the speaker) to another (the listener). When people engage in conversations, commitments are made, and spaces of possibilities are opened up. Therefore, the theme is of “instilling a culture of commitment” in our working relationships, allowing us to focus on what we are creating of value together rather than the ongoing stress of attempting to calculate tradeoffs of individual interests. Edited by Maria Flores Letelier, it was Maria’s mission to make available works that had rested as private papers in hard copy form only for twenty to thirty years. She selected and edited a group of essays and placed them in an effective order for the reader.

158 pages, Paperback

First published April 25, 2013

Reviews

[Paco Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some gems in this, particularly the transition graphs used for formal representation of "conversations for action". Translated: look at the verbs.

[Sunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was excellent and very different from other books u may have read about Communication or listenning. The chapter at the end on Listening was particularly impressive and talks about the need not to focus on the facts about what one is saying but to try to arrive together at a state where u are comfortable talking openly. The focus on commitment based conversations is very apt in an age when we are becoming less and less committed to things in general. Raised some very interesting points.

[Jorge Ferrer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uno de los mejores libros y aprendizajes que he tenido en muchos años... un must para cualquier profesional

[Eric Nehrlich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew of Flores's work but had never read him directly before. Unsurprisingly for a person who emphasizes communication, these essays are clear and well written, breaking down conversations and coordination into clear steps and sequences of request, promise, statement of completion, statement of acceptance. That structure can help to analyze breakdowns in communication by identifying which steps were skipped over or missed.

The last essay on listening particularly spoke to me as he describes listening as an opportunity to create a shared space of common concern with the speaker. Such a space can create new possibilities for speaker and listener, and is a great description for what I try to do as a coach.

[John Guerrero · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers a clear framework to communicate better

This books split conversation in different parts that can be handle and analyzed separately. Also offering hints about how to manage moods and responses along the conversation.

[Theo Radicella · Rating 3 out of 5]

imho it doesn’t introduce any new concepts or groundbreaking ideas, but it serves as a great reminder of communication features that we often take for granted or overlook. I found its topics highly useful for work/client relationships, and at times, even applicable to interpersonal relationships.

[Daniela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leitura bem técnico. Tive que me concentrar bastante para ler e entender os conceitos. Há muita informação em cada parágrafo.
Gostei das técnicas. Vou tentar aplica-las

[Hank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent innovative concise analysis of the most effective use of speech in business.

[John Weis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flores’ “Conversations for Action” presents a powerful framework for understanding how to coordinate and realize futures in the modern context. The chapter discussing moods was well worth it.