Failure to Communicate: How Conversations Go Wrong and What You Can Do to Right Them

CHAPTER 12

Conclusion

Getting Back on Track

WHILE THE PARTICULAR combinations of people, problems, and situations that complicated the difficult conversations in this book made each one different from the others, the ways those conversations broke down are beginning to fall into recognizable patterns of combat mentality, emotional reaction, and misconceptions. Until now, the big patterns that have derailed conversations over and over again have also been the hardest for us to deal with. But the old problems now have new solutions.

Let’s look back at Jack and Mike from chapter 1, two friends who wanted to turn a company around and who eventually found themselves in a conversation so damaging that it makes you want to cover your eyes. Let’s ...