logo

40 pages 1 hour read

Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1999

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Book Brief

logo
Douglas Stone, Sheila Heen, Bruce Patton

Difficult Conversations

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1999
Book Details
Pages

250

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

1990s

Publication Year

1999

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone, Sheila Heen, and Bruce Patton, members of the Harvard Negotiation Project, provides a guide to managing conflict through effective dialogue. The book delineates three key conversations—what happened, feelings, and identity—and explains how to adopt a learning stance, manage perspectives, and differentiate between intent and impact, and contribution and blame. It emphasizes listening, clarity, active leadership, and neutral perspectives to resolve conflicts. The concluding section addresses frequently asked questions to contextualize the core advice.

Informative

Challenging

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

4.4

18,363 ratings

76%

Loved it

18%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

The reviews for Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone, Sheila Heen, and Bruce Patton highlight its practical advice for navigating challenging dialogues. Readers appreciate its clear, actionable strategies and real-life examples. However, some find it repetitive and overly simplistic. The book is praised for improving communication skills but may not suit those seeking in-depth psychological analysis.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Difficult Conversations?

If you appreciate books like Crucial Conversations or Nonviolent Communication, you'll enjoy Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone, Sheila Heen, and Bruce Patton. Ideal for professionals, educators, and anyone wanting to enhance communication skills in challenging interpersonal interactions.

4.4

18,363 ratings

76%

Loved it

18%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

250

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

1990s

Publication Year

1999

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Continue your reading experience

Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.