Communication is an essential skill in life, especially for people. Even animals use communication to make their lives easier and develop relationships, but when it comes to people, things go even further. Whether you feel like you struggle communicating with people in general, developing a connection with your partner or growing from a professional point of view, here are some of the best books on how to improve communication skills.

Effective Communication Skills, by John Nielsen

John Nielsen has written one of the most straightforward books out there. Whether you deal with a difficult person, a team member, a manager, a client or your partner, communication can be a challenge at a time. Each chapter in this book brings in a step by step instructions regarding new techniques to improve your skills, not to mention a few steps on how to apply them. You will gain some tools that cover an entire behavioral purpose, rather than just communication.

How To Talk To Anyone, by Leil Lowndes

Leil Lowndes kicks in with 92 different techniques to master the skill of communication. It makes no difference what kind of relationship you struggle with – it could be a personal or a professional one. You will find out how to communicate efficiently to find a good solution, but you will also learn how to become a more sociable person. Communication is the secret to making a good impression – usually a matter of just a few seconds when you try to make a first impression.

Never Eat Alone, by Keith Ferrazi

Never Eat Alone will boost your communicational skills at work. Obviously, such techniques can be applied in the personal life as well. The author underlines the importance of building solid relationships with the single purpose of success later on. The general idea behind this book is fairly simple. When you know and talk to people, you have more options to rely on in life, which will inevitably add to your professional growth and success.

On Becoming Fearless, by Ariana Huffington

Ariana Huffington aims to teach readers on how to become fearless – after all, the fear of communication and relationships is among the popular ones out there. It usually targets the workplace, but the author also brings in some techniques that can apply in one's personal life. Find out how to prevent fear from keeping you away from your dreams. The best part about this book? It comes from personal experience, which is certainly a plus.

Talk Like TED, by Carmine Gallo

TED talks are some of the most popular conferences and videos over the Internet. People gather to listen to influential and motivational speakers who can simply change mindsets with their words. This book will teach random people how to become exceptional speakers. This is the pillar of good communication. As you become good at it, public speaking is no longer a fear – in fact, you will actually love it. The book takes you through the secrets of world renowned speakers and brings in nine amazing techniques.

Words That Work, by Frank Luntz

Frank Luntz comes up with a good theory that actually makes sense. Communication is not necessarily about what you say. People hear your words through their own experiences, so it is mostly about what they hear. In other words, it is critical to focus on things that people are likely to hear. Knowing people will help you make yourself heard. This is why certain groups or communities are triggered by certain words. Once you identify those words, nothing else matters.

Crucial Conversations, by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler

This book brings in an amalgam of thoughts and ideas from various authors. Its main role is to help you boost communication, especially under crucial circumstances. It is a matter of influencing people, not to mention working on your negotiation skills. There are certain patterns people tend to follow in communication. Understanding those patterns will help you understand what is about to happen and push things in your own direction.

The Power Of Now, by Eckart Tolle

This book is a classic. Its main role is to help you stay present with the situation and thoughts. There are many times in life when you react to things that happened in the past – as well as things that are likely to happen in the future. The idea of the book is to work on the present. This book takes you further though. Apart from communication, you will also learn how to lose inhibitions and become present – it is mostly about communicating at home.

Skill With People, by Les Gibli

 Learning how to communicate and deal with people will push your people skills to another level – a level that you have never thought about before. You will gain the power to move people in your direction and get them to do what you want. This book is a full package and targets all kinds of situations. It makes no difference if you have to communicate to your manager or you need to sort out a situation at home. It is all about boosting your people skills to an impressive level.

How To Speak, How To Listen, by Mortimer J. Adler

Mortimer J. Adler teaches the reader about speaking and listening. The two actions complement each other. Everyone is focused on talking, but no one is focused on listening, which is just as important in developing great people skills. Being a good listener will close the circuit and will improve the overall communication. It will make a speech efficient and can push people in the desired direction. Practically, this book is a full guide on every aspect of communication.

Bottom line, these are some of the best books on how to improve communication skills. Some of them will help you change your mindset and focus on people's understanding, while others will teach you how to use the right words for efficient communication. All in all, they all work on boosting people skills.

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