DALLAS, May 2, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- We all have our own unique communication style, which for most of us is either passive -- quiet and reticent, or even silent and unresponsive -- or reactive -- loud and aggressive, or demanding and "in your face." Unfortunately, both of these styles can distort our true message. In his new book, Honest, Direct, Respectful: Three Simple Words That Will Change Your Life (VMI Publishers), author and therapist Dennis D. Adams offers a simple strategy for communicating with anyone, anywhere and anytime, by being honest, direct and respectful.
Dennis began developing the Honest, Direct, Respectful (HDR) method several years ago when an argument with a colleague at the office prompted him to question his own communication style. "Once I started paying attention I wondered, 'Why did I say that? Will I ever be able to talk to that person without blowing up?' Somehow what I said was not what I wanted or intended," Dennis remembers. "At other times, I didn't say anything at all. I'd just walk away saying, 'I wish I'd said. I should have said.'" The HDR technique empowers people to live at peace with themselves and with the people in their lives (spouses, children, neighbors, co-workers and employers) by speaking the truth honestly, directly and with respect.
As a licensed marriage and family therapist and a mediator for a major health organization, Dennis deals daily with people in conflict. He has witnessed a miraculous change in thousands of lives and even the transformation of entire corporate cultures through the implementation of the HDR method. Dennis has crafted an easy, enjoyable read, delivering practical solutions in a way that no complicated, theoretical book could. Honest, Direct, Respectful is an essential for the workplace, but the principles apply to any relationship. The book's engaging and memorable stories, along with its concise format, make it an ideal tool for busy people looking for a simple technique that will achieve lasting results. Honest, Direct, Respectful will enable readers to:
* Understand their communication style or personality type
(passive, reactive or TOP -- "ticked-off passive") by completing
a short self-test
* Discover the ways in which experiences from the past -- such as
hurt, anger and bitterness -- affect the way they communicate
today
* Incorporate three simple words into their lives -- Honest,
Direct, Respectful -- and use them as a "filter" to measure
conversations
When people learn how to talk to one another, they are capable of resolving their differences and difficulties. "HDR is not confronting. It's becoming a truth-teller," Dennis emphasizes. "The book will give you a new look at your life and communication style and build your sense of self-worth. None of us were born with perfect communication skills. These three simple words enable anyone to become an effective communicator."
Honest, Direct, Respectful
By Dennis D. Adams with Sue Schumann Warner
VMI Publishers
ISBN: 978-1-933204-29-1/hardcover/$12.99
www.hdrsolutions.com