This is a philosophy book for psychotherapists, psychologists, organisational consultants and scholars who are interested in the construction of each other, how we make meaning together and move with people in dialogue. John gets beyond a purely cognitive understanding of what it means to be human and shows us different ways of appreciating the nuanced movements in acts of developing relational know-how to create new ways of being - and becoming. Ann L. Cunliffe, Professor of Management, University of Bradford It is impossible to capture in a few words all the fine detail and nuances of this beautifully crafted book, it invites careful reading. The title brings together the key themes of John's work across time, themes that invite and challenge us to go beyond taken-for-granted ways of thinking to engage differently with our social world, our place within it, and our ways of generating knowledge. Crucially, he argues we need to develop a discursive consciousness, to make a difference that matters by 'humanifying' ourselves as practitioners and scholars. Harlene Anderson, PhD, Houston Galveston Institute and Taos Institute, USA Shotter develops his challenge of our dependence on existing theoretical perspectives and their representations suggesting these orient us to, and reinforce, the familiar, blinding us to the nuances, uniqueness, and previously unseen or ignored details of our everyday lives and the people in it. His illuminated challenge draws on his remarkable grasp and interpretation of classic philosophers such as Bakhtin, Merleau-Ponty, Wittgenstein, and contemporary critical thinkers such as Barad, Bertau, and Lipari. Peter Rober, Professor of Family Therapy, KU Leuven, Nederlands John Shotter is a thinker. Thinking has become quite unusual in academic psychology nowadays, dominated as it is by a narrow empirical perspective, and a distrust of philosophical reflection. This book is required reading for all family therapists who are interested in the dialogical perspective. But be warned: this is far from a manual. It is food for reflection. This book of Shotter's is important, as it urges us to be careful with the language we use. The words we casually speak can keep us captive in our usual, individualistic-rationalistic-mechanistic ways of dealing with things, resulting in a world of fragmentation and separation. It is a rich book, that (not withstanding its urgency) should be savored slowly. Like a good wine. Jim Wilson, Systemic Psychotherapist & past Chair, The Family Institute, Cardiff Take this book, read it and ponder on how it influences your ways of meeting in social relations in your life. Shotter's strong and committed voice of dissent towards academic modernist psychology rings throughout the text. Instead of grand claims toward generalised truths, he emphasises the significance of local, proximal and familial, as the sites of fresh beginnings and new possibilities. In Shotter's eyes we can see optimism in achieving important human connections in the apparently ordinary ways of being and becoming. In this comprehensive text, he sets out to challenge the over-emphasis in the fields of modernist research that would have us believe that science will provide the necessary answers to complex matters of human livingness. Kenneth Gergen, Senior Research Professor of Psychology, Swarthmore College and Taos Institute USA John Shotter generously shares with us his rich and illuminating conversations with a host of textual friends. Indeed, these conversations - with their flowing forms without formulations, disclosings without closings - exemplify the major thrust of this inspiring work. Life and love are to be found in sensitive, sensual, and unceasing dialogue.

Forget the 10,000 hour rule— what if it’s possible to learn the basics of any new skill in 20 hours or less? Take a moment to consider how many things you want to learn to do. What’s on your list? What’s holding you back from getting started? Are you worried about the time and effort it takes to acquire new skills—time you don’t have and effort you can’t spare? Research suggests it takes 10,000 hours to develop a new skill. In this nonstop world when will you ever find that much time and energy? To make matters worse, the early hours of prac­ticing something new are always the most frustrating. That’s why it’s difficult to learn how to speak a new language, play an instrument, hit a golf ball, or shoot great photos. It’s so much easier to watch TV or surf the web . . . In The First 20 Hours, Josh Kaufman offers a systematic approach to rapid skill acquisition— how to learn any new skill as quickly as possible. His method shows you how to deconstruct com­plex skills, maximize productive practice, and remove common learning barriers. By complet­ing just 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice you’ll go from knowing absolutely nothing to performing noticeably well. Kaufman personally field-tested the meth­ods in this book. You’ll have a front row seat as he develops a personal yoga practice, writes his own web-based computer programs, teaches himself to touch type on a nonstandard key­board, explores the oldest and most complex board game in history, picks up the ukulele, and learns how to windsurf. Here are a few of the sim­ple techniques he teaches: Define your target performance level: Fig­ure out what your desired level of skill looks like, what you’re trying to achieve, and what you’ll be able to do when you’re done. The more specific, the better. Deconstruct the skill: Most of the things we think of as skills are actually bundles of smaller subskills. If you break down the subcompo­nents, it’s easier to figure out which ones are most important and practice those first. Eliminate barriers to practice: Removing common distractions and unnecessary effort makes it much easier to sit down and focus on deliberate practice. Create fast feedback loops: Getting accu­rate, real-time information about how well you’re performing during practice makes it much easier to improve. Whether you want to paint a portrait, launch a start-up, fly an airplane, or juggle flaming chain­saws, The First 20 Hours will help you pick up the basics of any skill in record time . . . and have more fun along the way.

If you speak in public--or want to--this fast-paced, entertaining, and actionable book is for you! "Speak Like Yourself... No, Really!" will help you communicate more effectively and authentically. It provides insights, encouragement, and step-by-step instructions to develop your best speaking style and use it not just for podium presentations, but in meetings, pitches, networking events, jobs interviews, and more. This uniquely effective and personal approach has worked for hundreds of the author's private public speaking clients, and it will work for you!

“A must-read” (Eve Rodsky​), We’re Speaking provides inspirational lessons about life, work, and overcoming adversity—drawn from Kamala Harris's norm-shattering ascent to Vice President of the United States.​ Kamala Harris is one of our country's most awe-inspiring political figures, dawning on a new age as the first—but not last—Black and Asian-American female Vice President. Having spent her entire career smashing glass ceilings and influencing the next generation of young women, Harris has completely redefined what it means to be a woman in politics. In We’re Speaking, Palepu connects illuminating stories from Harris’ unique biography with tactical advice that will teach you to : Own the power of your multitudes Act on and embrace your ambition Develop your unique voice and style Find your North Star to guide your decisions Best of all, We're Speaking will leave you feeling empowered to follow in Harris's footsteps — shattering glass ceilings of your own as you live the life of your dreams!

The author, a computer science professor diagnosed with terminal cancer, explores his life, the lessons that he has learned, how he has worked to achieve his childhood dreams, and the effect of his diagnosis on him and his family.

A New York Times bestselling and widely admired Catholic writer explores how we can retrieve transcendent faith in modern times Critically acclaimed and bestselling author James Carroll has explored every aspect of Christianity, faith, and Jesus Christ except this central one: What can we believe about—and how can we believe in—Jesus in the twenty-first century in light of the Holocaust and other atrocities of the twentieth century and the drift from religion that followed? What Carroll has discovered through decades of writing and lecturing is that he is far from alone in clinging to a received memory of Jesus that separates him from his crucial identity as a Jew, and therefore as a human. Yet if Jesus was not taken as divine, he would be of no interest to us. What can that mean now? Paradoxically, the key is his permanent Jewishness. No Christian himself, Jesus actually transcends Christianity. Drawing on both a wide range of scholarship as well as his own acute searching as a believer, Carroll takes a fresh look at the most familiar narratives of all—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Far from another book about the “historical Jesus,” he takes the challenges of science and contemporary philosophy seriously. He retrieves the power of Jesus’ profound ordinariness, as an answer to his own last question—what is the future of Jesus Christ?—as the key to a renewal of faith.

Learn how to inspire your audience with best-selling author Paul McGee! 13 things you'll discover when reading this book... 1. The big lesson Steve Jobs learnt when an advertising exec threw something at him... and how it will help how you communicate. 2. Seven ways to manage your nerves (surprisingly, you don’t want to eliminate them). 3. Why our obsession with body language is totally wrong, and what to focus on instead. 4. Why you must think about a beachball before you next speak. Believe me, it’s essential. 5. A question your audience is always thinking, and how to ensure you provide the answer. 6. The most common mistake experienced presenters make that nervous ones never do. 7. Why so many presentations cure insomnia, and how to make sure you’re serving an extra strong double espresso instead. 8. The number one thing most presenters forget to bring when they’re speaking to others. 9. Discover the most underprepared part of your presentation, and how to avoid making the same mistake. 10. What women’s magazines and TV soap operas have to teach us about audience engagement. 11. What I learnt from a guy with one of the most powerful memories on the planet, and how it can transform your communication. 12. Discover Tony Blair’s biggest fear when Prime Minister, and how you can tackle the same issue with confidence. 13. Why you don’t have to be funny to use humour in your presentation, and three easy ways to do it.