In the beginning of No One Understands You and What to Do About It by Heidi Grant Halvorson, she tells how she could not decide on her next book project, so she asked her husband what she should write about. She described him as a successful executive, but one who does not read books on management or leadership. In fact, he does not read any of her books. Here’s his response to her:

He thought about this for a few moments and replied, “I suppose the one problem I haven’t figured out a good solution for—the one that keeps coming up again and again—is how I come across to other people. I get the feeling that sometimes people think I’m being critical, or aloof, or disengaged, and that’s not at all my intention. But I don’t know how to fix it, because I don’t understand what they are seeing. If there was a book about that, one that was based on evidence and not just bullshit, I would read it.”

And then, she adds: “this is everyone’s problem.”

I’m just beginning this book, but I am fully hooked. This is a real problem, and a big problem, and a problem with ripple-effect consequences that cost just about…everybody, in every industry

I have selected it for my June First Friday Book Synopsis presentation. I’ll be posting plenty more later about this book.

Now, if you never misunderstand anyone else, and if no one ever misunderstands you, then you can skip reading this book.

In other words, I think I can already say this is worth adding to your own reading stack… I know I’m reading it not just to present, but to learn – and hopefully, to change…