Strange as it may seem, other people are not nearly as committed to our happiness as we are. In fact, sometimes they seem like they're on a mission to make us miserable! There's always that one person. The one who hijacks your emotions and makes you crazy. The one who seems to thrive on drama. If you could just "fix" that person, everything would be better. But we can't fix other people--we can only make choices about ourselves. In this cut-to-the-chase book, communication expert Mike Bechtle shows readers that they don't have to be victims of other people's craziness. With commonsense wisdom and practical advice that can be implemented immediately, Bechtle gives readers a proven strategy to handle crazy people. More than just offering a set of techniques, Bechtle offers a new perspective that will change readers' lives as they deal with those difficult people who just won't go away.

Most people want to avoid tough conversations. Whether it's with a spouse, a friend, a boss, a coworker, or a child, tough conversations create high anxiety--and often lingering resentments. Communication expert Dr. Mike Bechtle offers practical help. He equips readers with the skills they need in order to handle conflict with the important people in their lives. Readers learn to be better prepared for hard conversations by learning to listen, to give and receive genuine feedback, and to saturate relationships with kindness. With the right skills and tools, anyone can feel more confident handling the elephant in the room and other conversational quicksand.

No matter how hard you try to reason with irrational people, it never works. So how do you talk to someone who just won't listen? You can't win by ignoring the insanity, and you can't argue it away. However, you can stop it cold. Top-ranked psychiatrist and communication expert Mark Goulston shows you just how to do so in this life-changing book for everyone trapped in maddening personal or professional relationships. Goulston unlocks the mysteries of the irrational mind, and explains how faulty thinking patterns develop. His keen insights are matched by a set of counterintuitive strategies proven to defuse crazy behavior, along with scripts, examples, and exercises that teach you how to use them. In Talking to “Crazy”, you will learn: Why people act the way they do How instinctive responses can exacerbate the situation, and what to do instead When to confront a problem and when to walk away How to activate the Sanity Cycle, which quickly transforms you from threat to ally How to use 14 simple yet effective communication techniques, including assertive submission flattery, the kiss-off, and more You can't reason with unreasonable people, but you can reach them. Talking to “Crazy” shows you just how easy it is to do it.

We all want other people to like us and think well of us. But when we depend on the praise, admiration, or appreciation of others for our sense of self-worth, we become trapped in an exhausting and debilitating cycle of people-pleasing relationships where we always give and rarely receive. The most common advice we hear--Start putting your own needs first!-- doesn't work, because we do love helping other people! Thankfully, the solution to the people pleaser's "problem" isn't to fundamentally change who you are--it's to fundamentally change where you find your worth. In this freeing book, Dr. Mike Bechtle shows you stop letting your fears of rejection, criticism, invisibility, or inadequacy drive your actions and start rebuilding your sense of self-worth from the inside out. When you do, you'll discover that what you once thought of as a struggle is actually a strength.

Communication is an art, and anyone--whether shy or outgoing--can improve his or her conversational skills. How to Communicate with Confidence is a straightforward guide to making good conversation that works in any situation--and works for any personality type. Highlighting the art of give and take and stressing the importance of listening, this book gives confidence to those who hesitate to strike up a conversation. Author Mike Bechtle shows readers that they don't have to have a stockpile of great stories to tell in order to make good conversation. Instead, he encourages an "explorer" mind-set and gives readers the tools they need to talk to anyone, anytime, anywhere.

Unfortunately, the world is full of screwed-up people. But the good news, says Elizabeth Brown, is that your world no longer has to revolve around them. With brilliant insights and a keen sense of humor, this trusted author and sought-after speaker shows readers how to: • stop the power of whatever is eating them alive • productively respond when confronted • remain poised and in control when everyone around them loses it • win fairly in unfair battles • let go of what has been, or what they wish would be, and live triumphantly now Dozens of real-life success stories, brief diagnostic tests, and practical tools are included to help readers assess their own situations and gain confidence to change self-defeating behaviors. This popular word-of-mouth bestseller now has an updated look.

The most common methods of evangelism are tailor-made for extroverts. But what about the rest of us? Other Christians, including introverted, reflective people, are left with feelings of guilt and fear and the desire to become more outgoing. The problem, says Mike Bechtle, is not their personality, but that they've been taught methods of evangelism that push them too far out of their comfort zone. In Evangelism for the Rest of Us, Bechtle shows readers how to share their faith in more comfortable ways by helping them discover and define their unique strengths within their personality type. With fresh, biblical insight, this much-needed resource renews a passion for sharing Christ with others, because telling the Good News does not have to be so intimidating.