Audiobook Sample
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- Title: Conversational Intelligence: How Great Leaders Build Trust & Get Extraordinary Results
- Author: Judith E. Glaser
- Narrator: Karen Saltus
- Length: 06:34:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 01/02/2014
- Publisher: Ascent Audio
- Genre: Business & Economics, Negotiation & Communication, Management & Leadership
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
Through a cultural lens, Judith E. Glaser’s “Conversational Intelligence: How Great Leaders Build Trust & Get Extraordinary Results” audiobook offers a compelling bridge between the science of human interaction and the art of leadership. Published by Ascent Audio and narrated by Karen Saltus, this 6-hour, 35-minute journey (yes, I’ve calculated that from its 0.273611111-day duration) promises to unpack the complexities of trust, empathy, and judgment in ways that resonate across organizational hierarchies. As someone who’s spent years dissecting narratives – whether in Murakami’s Tokyo or Berkeley’s seminar rooms – I found myself drawn to Glaser’s ability to distill neuroscience into actionable tools. What fascinates me most is how she transforms the abstract – like the neurochemistry of trust – into conversational rituals that feel as intuitive as a well-timed nod.
My initial impression of the audiobook experience was one of cautious optimism. Business and economics texts can sometimes feel dry, their lessons buried under jargon or corporate platitudes. Yet, Glaser’s work, brought to life by Saltus’s steady narration, sidesteps this pitfall. The audiobook opens with a premise that hooked me: conversations aren’t just exchanges of words – they’re the scaffolding of relationships. This idea echoes a memory from my Contemporary Fiction seminar at Berkeley, where we debated how medium shapes meaning. Comparing “Cloud Atlas” across print, digital, and audio formats revealed how delivery alters perception – a lesson that resurfaced as I listened to Glaser’s insights unfold aurally. Here, the listening experience amplifies her message: hearing her frameworks feels like a dialogue, not a lecture.
This personal connection deepened as I reflected on my time in Tokyo. Reading “Kafka on the Shore” in Japanese and English taught me how language nuances shift a story’s emotional weight. Similarly, Glaser’s emphasis on conversational patterns – how a question versus a command rewires trust – struck me as a linguistic dance. Her expertise in organizational dynamics shines here, weaving together neuroscience, psychology, and leadership theory into a tapestry that’s both scholarly and accessible. She argues that trust isn’t a static trait but a dynamic process, activated through specific conversational behaviors. For instance, her ‘Conversational Dashboard’ tool, which maps interactions from transactional to transformational, feels like a literary framework applied to the boardroom – a structuralist’s dream.
The content itself is a treasure trove of practical wisdom. Glaser introduces rituals like ‘double-clicking’ – probing deeper into someone’s words to uncover intent – which I’ve already tested in my own discussions. Her examples span corporate giants to small teams, making the audiobook relevant whether you’re a CEO or a project lead. Key themes – trust, integrity, empathy, and judgment – emerge not as buzzwords but as measurable outcomes of intentional dialogue. This reminds me of when I hosted a podcast episode on digital storytelling: the best narratives, I argued, balance structure with soul. Glaser achieves this, grounding her science in relatable anecdotes.
Karen Saltus’s narration enhances this balance. Her tone is clear and measured, with a warmth that softens the academic edge without diluting its authority. The audio quality is crisp, a boon for a text dense with concepts – though I did notice occasional pacing that felt rushed during denser passages. Still, Saltus’s delivery keeps the listener engaged, her inflection underscoring Glaser’s emphasis on empathy as a leadership superpower. It’s a performance that respects the material’s depth while inviting you into its world, much like a skilled professor commanding a lecture hall.
That said, the audiobook isn’t flawless. Its strength – simplifying complex science – sometimes borders on oversimplification. For a listener versed in neuroscience (or even literary theory), the lack of deeper technical dives might feel limiting. I found myself wishing for more on the cultural contexts of conversation – how might these rituals shift in Mandarin-speaking teams versus English ones? My multilingual background makes me hungry for such layers. Additionally, the 6.5-hour runtime, while digestible, left me curious about what an unabridged exploration might uncover. These aren’t dealbreakers, but they temper the experience for a detail-oriented mind.
How does it stack up to similar works? Compared to Brené Brown’s “Daring Greatly” audiobook, which I reviewed years ago, Glaser’s focus is narrower – leadership through conversation versus vulnerability writ large – but equally impactful. Brown’s narrative leans on personal storytelling, while Glaser’s relies on frameworks and tools, making “Conversational Intelligence” a more hands-on listen. Both share a commitment to emotional intelligence, though Glaser’s business lens gives her work a sharper edge for management and negotiation buffs.
I’d recommend this audiobook to leaders, educators, and anyone intrigued by the mechanics of human connection. Its genre – Business & Economics, Negotiation & Communication, Management & Leadership – suits professionals seeking actionable insights, but its universal themes transcend the corporate sphere. The fact that it’s available as a free audiobook download (check Audiobooks.com for details) only sweetens the deal – accessibility matters, especially for such transformative content.
Reflecting on this listen, I’m struck by how it mirrors my own intellectual curiosities. Glaser’s blend of science and narrative feels like a digital humanities project – data meeting story in real time. It’s left me pondering how I might ‘double-click’ into my next conversation, whether with students or strangers. For a book about trust, it’s earned mine – not just as a resource, but as a lens on the world.
With curiosity and conversational cheer,
Prof. Emily Chen
