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1. Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High

Best for:

• Leaders, managers, and teams navigating high-stakes discussions
• Anyone who struggles with conflict, feedback, or emotionally charged conversations
• People looking to improve communication in personal and professional relationships

Key Takeaways:

• Start with Heart: Focus on what you really want from the conversation and avoid getting emotionally hijacked.
• Master Your Stories: Understand the narratives you're telling yourself before reacting.
• Create Safety: People only engage when they feel safe. Use tools like contrasting to restore safety.
• State Your Path: Share your perspective clearly but respectfully, using facts first, not emotions.
• Explore Others’ Paths: Encourage others to share their views by being curious and asking questions.
• Move to Action: Decide how to follow up and hold people accountable, not just have a “nice” conversation.

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2. The Power of the Other: The Startling Effect Other People Have on You, from the Boardroom to the Bedroom and Beyond

Best for:

• Professionals and leaders wanting to grow personally and relationally
• People feeling isolated or burned out and looking for deeper, healthier relationships
• Anyone curious about how human connection drives performance and growth

“While the concept of this book is common sense, this book put into words something that can easily be taken for granted, and then encourages you to address it and work to make a change. Simply put, other people in your life matter. It’s not just about a few close friends, it’s about being intentional about people in your life that are looking at areas of your life. It inspired me to get a coach to train for the IRONMAN and I experienced first hand the power of the other in the way Gabe pushed me through this year. It’s worth everyone reading just to cement in our brains that we shouldn’t try to go it alone, we need others in every area of our lives.“- Todd Watson, Showit CEO

Key Takeaways:

• Relationships Drive Success: Your performance is limited or elevated by the quality of your key relationships.
• Four Corners of Connection: Only one type of relationship (Corner Four – real, connected, and supportive) truly fuels success.
• Connection Builds Resilience: Isolation, even at high levels of success, leads to emotional and mental breakdown.
• Vulnerability Leads to Growth: Being open and accountable in the right relationships strengthens your capacity.
• Intentional Relationships Matter: Don’t leave your circle to chance—build a supportive, growth-minded network.

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3. Can I Have Your Attention?: Inspiring Better Work Habits, Focusing Your Team, and Getting Stuff Done in the Constantly Connected

Best for:

• Leaders and managers trying to guide teams through distraction and digital overwhelm
• Professionals looking to reclaim productivity in a hyper-connected world
• Organizations aiming to improve focus, reduce burnout, and encourage deep work

“I met Curt years ago when he spoke about this concept of attention and he speaks about this for huge companies across the globe. It’s a major problem in a culture that has become wired for distraction and this book gives practical steps to tune things out and become Focus Wise.” – Todd Watson

Key Takeaways:

• Distraction Is the Default: The modern workplace is designed to scatter attention—emails, pings, meetings, and more all compete for brainpower.
• Focus Requires Leadership: Leaders must actively create environments where focus is possible, not just encourage it.
• Protect Mental Bandwidth: People do their best work when they can fully engage—this means fewer interruptions and clearer boundaries.
• Culture Drives Behavior: To change habits, shift team culture—not just tools or to-do lists. Model the focus you want to see.
• Clarity Beats Busyness: Clear expectations, priorities, and outcomes lead to less noise and more meaningful work.
• Attention is Influence: The way you direct and model your attention directly influences how your team works and what they prioritize.

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Final Thoughts:

Lead with clarity. Focus and communication are your greatest tools in a noisy world.

Connection fuels performance. Who you surround yourself with shapes what you can achieve.

Conversation drives culture. Every dialogue is a chance to build trust and direction.

Focus is intentional. In a distracted world, deep work is a choice—one leaders must model.

Small shifts, big results. Meaningful change starts with better habits, better relationships, and better conversations.

Our team has put together a list of fun Creative Curations of all the things we've really enjoyed listening, reading, and watching! Check them out!