Review of A State of P.L.A.Y.S
Posted: 09 Feb 2025, 12:24
[Following is a volunteer review of "A State of P.L.A.Y.S" by Veronica Hislop.]
In a communicative setting, there is an interplay of a plethora of emotions, expectations, past experiences and other elements. This transaction can be fragile and uncertain, and situations can assume any status with little or no sign. It is therefore important that we become strategic in our relationship and interaction with people.
In her book, A State of P.L.A.Y.S: How to Have Those Difficult Conversations Without Losing Your Mind Veronica Hislop has provided five conversation processes or frameworks to gauge and navigate the communication process. These frameworks include preparation, listening, addressing, yielding and safety. They have the power to lead the parties involved to revive, initiate, sustain and conduct a great conversation that can help them better understand themselves, forge a win-win situation, record incredible improvement in a given situation, setting or event or apply safe measures when the situation is dangerous or when nothing seems to be working.
There is in-depth discussion of each process, with case studies cited to further drive home the lessons. All of the state of P.L.A.Y.S. conversations impacted me in remarkable ways, but preparation and listening are my favorites. Speaking of preparation, I gained incredible insights on the need to first take time to set my emotions and expectations right before embarking on a conversation with the other person. Looking back, I now understand why some of my friendships broke down and why some issues that could have been easily resolved escalated. I was ignorant of my triggers. The Bonnie and Jim story touched me on a personal level. Again, the Pareto Principle was one of the many interesting subjects discussed under the listening aspect of the state of P.L.A.Y.S. conversations.
I did not dislike anything in this book. A State of P.L.A.Y.S: How to Have Those Difficult Conversations Without Losing Your Mind earns five out of five stars for the incredible, straightforward insights on effective conversation and improved interpersonal relationships. I recommend this book to anyone interested in working on these aspects of their lives.
******
A State of P.L.A.Y.S
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
In a communicative setting, there is an interplay of a plethora of emotions, expectations, past experiences and other elements. This transaction can be fragile and uncertain, and situations can assume any status with little or no sign. It is therefore important that we become strategic in our relationship and interaction with people.
In her book, A State of P.L.A.Y.S: How to Have Those Difficult Conversations Without Losing Your Mind Veronica Hislop has provided five conversation processes or frameworks to gauge and navigate the communication process. These frameworks include preparation, listening, addressing, yielding and safety. They have the power to lead the parties involved to revive, initiate, sustain and conduct a great conversation that can help them better understand themselves, forge a win-win situation, record incredible improvement in a given situation, setting or event or apply safe measures when the situation is dangerous or when nothing seems to be working.
There is in-depth discussion of each process, with case studies cited to further drive home the lessons. All of the state of P.L.A.Y.S. conversations impacted me in remarkable ways, but preparation and listening are my favorites. Speaking of preparation, I gained incredible insights on the need to first take time to set my emotions and expectations right before embarking on a conversation with the other person. Looking back, I now understand why some of my friendships broke down and why some issues that could have been easily resolved escalated. I was ignorant of my triggers. The Bonnie and Jim story touched me on a personal level. Again, the Pareto Principle was one of the many interesting subjects discussed under the listening aspect of the state of P.L.A.Y.S. conversations.
I did not dislike anything in this book. A State of P.L.A.Y.S: How to Have Those Difficult Conversations Without Losing Your Mind earns five out of five stars for the incredible, straightforward insights on effective conversation and improved interpersonal relationships. I recommend this book to anyone interested in working on these aspects of their lives.
******
A State of P.L.A.Y.S
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon