What do YOU think I need to say about communication?

Are you ready to help me make my next book better?
Thank you again for all the suggestions you made about future books you’d like to see me write. In two recent posts I addressed a few of the ideas that I received from you and pointed out the books I’ve already written that answer some of your questions.

But there was one more topic for which I got a lot of requests. Here’s just a sampling:

• I would love to see you write a book on communication.
• Perhaps you could write on communicating clearly, assumptions and perceptions
• What about leadership and communication? There is so much to say yet about this topic, and this is really decisive in leadership.
• I am not sure how much you have already written about how leaders communicate, but that seems very relevant!

If one of these was your question (or if you would just like to know what I have to say regarding communication) I have good news:

I HAVE in fact written a book dedicated to the topic. It’s called Everyone Communicates, Few Connect.

The secret to communication — whether one-on-one, in a small group, to an audience, or in a meeting — is connecting. If you can connect with people, you can communicate with people. This is something I learned early in my career, and it has helped me as a husband, father, friend, communicator, and leader. I cannot image what my life and my career might have looked like had I not learned how to connect.

What? You haven’t heard of this book? I’m not surprised. Because it hasn’t been published yet! And believe it or not, that’s even better news. Why? Because you, my blog readers, will get to see it before anyone else does. You’ll also get a chance to tell me what you think about it before it goes to print. And if you give me a story in response to one of my chapters that adds enough value to it, I’ll even include it in the published book!

Here’s the plan. On September 1, 2009, I will post the first chapter of this manuscript right here on the blog. I’ll encourage you to give me your feedback and comments. While the chapter is up, you’ll be able to tell me exactly what you like, what you don’t like, and what you think is missing. We’ll make changes based on the feedback that we believe will add value to the book. And if we use your comment or story , we’ll also quote you in the book.

We’ll leave that first chapter up for two weeks; after that, we’ll take it down and post the next chapter. From then on, we’ll post a new chapter each week for you to read and comment on.

A chapter will stay up only a week, so keep in contact. If you think you’ll have trouble remembering to check each week, then subscribe to my RSS feed so that you receive a reminder. I need your input as part of the revision and editing process. And when the book comes out in the spring of 2010, you can check to see whose comments made it into the book.

I’m really excited about this process. Every book I’ve written over the last decade and a half has been a collaborative experience. I’ve sought the advice of good thinkers and leaders as I’ve outlined and written. (After all, one person can do nothing of significance alone.) But this is the first time I’ll be able to connect so broadly with my readers before a book has been published. I know you will make the book better.

So get ready. This fall is going to be a lot of fun!