The Best Books on Communication Skills

“The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives.” — Tony Robbins

This is a list of my favorite and noteworthy books on communication skills, speaking skills, and presentation skills.

I put the bulk of the list in categories so you can explore the communication skills books in a relevant way, and easily compare with your library of books on communication skills, presentation skills, and speaking skills.

The Top 10 Books on Communication Skills

Crucial Confrontations: Tools for talking about broken promises, violated expectations, and bad behavior , by Kerry Patterson
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High , by Kerry Patterson
Dealing with People You Can’t Stand: How to Bring Out the Best in People at Their Worst , by Rick Kirschner
Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: What the Most Effective People Do Differently , by John C. Maxwell
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die , by Chip Heath
Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus: The Classic Guide to Understanding the Opposite Sex , by John Gray
Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story , by Jerry Weissman
Say It Like Obama: The Power of Speaking with Purpose and Vision , by Shelly Leanne
Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion , by George J. Thompson
Write to the Top: Writing for Corporate Success , by Deborah Dumaine

The Best Books on Communication Skills by Category

Conflict and Tough Conversations

Crucial Confrontations: Tools for talking about broken promises, violated expectations, and bad behavior , by Kerry Patterson
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High , by Kerry Patterson
Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most , by Douglas Stone
Failure to Communicate: How Conversations Go Wrong and What You Can Do to Right Them , by Holly Weeks
Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time , by Susan Scott
In the Line of Fire: How to Handle Tough Questions…When It Counts , by Jerry Weissman
Perfect Phrases for Dealing with Difficult People: Hundreds of Ready-to-Use Phrases for Handling Conflict, Confrontations and Challenging Personalities , by Susan Benjamin
Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion , by Jay Heinrichs
Thinking on Your Feet: How to Communicate Under Pressure , by Marian K. Woodall

Effective Communication, Conversations

Authentic Conversations: Moving from Manipulation to Truth and Commitment , by Jamie Showkeir
Harvard Business Review on Effective Communication (Harvard Business Review Paperback Series) , by Harvard Business School Press
How to Communicate: The Ultimate Guide to Improving Your Personal and Professional Relationships , by Martha Davis
How to Say It For Women: Communicating with Confidence and Power Using the Language of Success , by Phyllis Mindell
Messages: The Communication Skills Book , by Matthew McKay
Talk Like a Winner: 21 Simple Rules for Achieving Everyday Communication Success , by Steve Nakamoto
The Art and Science of Communication: Tools for Effective Communication in the Workplace , by P. S. Perkins
The Art of Talking to Anyone: Essential People Skills for Success in Any Situation , by Rosalie Maggio

Email

SEND: Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better (Vintage) , by David Shipley

Executive Communication

Influence, Persuasion

Communicating for a Change: Seven Keys to Irresistible Communication , by Lane Jones
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die , by Chip Heath
Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion , by George J. Thompson

Interpersonal Skills

Couple Skills: Making Your Relationship Work , by Kim Paleg
Dealing with People You Can’t Stand: How to Bring Out the Best in People at Their Worst , by Rick Kirschner
How Can I Get Through to You? Closing the Intimacy Gap Between Men and Women , by Terrence Real
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk , by Adele Faber
How To Win Friends and Influence People , by Dale Carnegie
Interplay: The Process of Interpersonal Communication , by Neil Towne
Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus: The Classic Guide to Understanding the Opposite Sex , by John Gray
People Skills: How to Assert Yourself, Listen to Others, and Resolve Conflicts , by Robert Bolton
Speaking Up: What to Say to Your Boss and Everyone Else Who Gets on Your Case , by Mark Ruskin

Leadership Communication Skills

Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders , by John Baldoni
The Communicators: Leadership in the Age of Crisis , by Richard Levick
The Leader as Communicator: Strategies and Tactics to Build Loyalty, Focus Effort, and Spark Creativity , by Robert P. Mai

Listening

Why Don’t People Listen? Solving the Communication Problem , by Hugh Mackay

Meetings, Board Rooms

Networking, Connection, Rapport

Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: What the Most Effective People Do Differently , by John C. Maxwell
Making the Connections , by Bill Quirke
Networking Is a Contact Sport: How Staying Connected and Serving Others Will Help You Grow Your Business, Expand Your Influence — or Even Land Your Next Job , by Joe Sweeney

Pitching, Selling

How to Get Your Point Across in 30 Seconds or Less , by Milo O. Frank
How to Wow: Proven Strategies for Selling Your [Brilliant] Self in Any Situation , by Frances Cole Jones

Presenting, Speaking

Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Winning Presentations , by Jerry Weissman
Effective Presentation Skills : A Practical Guide for Better Speaking , by Steve Mandel
Guide to Presentations (3rd Edition) (Alternative eText Formats) , by Mary Munter
I Have To Give A Presentation, Now What?!: Overcome Your Fears/Using Powerpoint/Pacing Your Presentation , by Jude Westerfield
Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery , by Garr Reynolds
Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story , by Jerry Weissman
Say It Like Obama: The Power of Speaking with Purpose and Vision , by Shelly Leanne
The Exceptional Presenter: A Proven Formula to Open Up and Own the Room , by Timothy J. Koegel
The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience , by Carmine Gallo

Questions

The 7 Powers of Questions: Secrets to Successful Communication in Life and at Work , by Dorothy Leeds

Self-Talk

Self Talk, Soul Talk: What to Say When You Talk to Yourself , by Jennifer Rothschild
What to Say When you Talk To Yourself, by Shad Helmstetter

Social Media

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Social Media, but were afraid to ask…: Building Your Business Using Consumer Generated Media , by Hilary JM Topper
Social Media for the CEO , by Eve Mayer Orsburn

Visualization

The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 2nd edition , by Edward R. Tufte

Writing

Looking Good in Print , by Roger C. Parker
Words that Sell, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Thesaurus to Help You Promote Your Products, Services, and Ideas , by Richard Bayan
WORDS THAT WORK: IT’S NOT WHAT YOU SAY, IT’S WHAT PEOPLE HEAR , by Frank I. Luntz
Write to the Top: Writing for Corporate Success , by Deborah Dumaine
Writing Winning Business Proposals: Your Guide to Landing the Client, Making the Sale and Persuading the Boss , by Richard C. Freed

Book Recommendations

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