Practical Book Review of John Stewart's Book Bridges Not Walls

The report will also provide a personal view of the book, critique, and applications of the book’s content of various scenarios in the day to day activities. Summary Four readings in chapter 2 serve to introduce the relational approach to interpersonal communication. In this primer, John Stewart argues that the quality of one’s life is connected to the quality of one's communication. Also, it shows that communication is more than just information exchange, and it is person-building activity. In Chapter 2, two significant things run throughout the chapter. Stewart uses chapter 5, or the first section of part two to teach the reader on what entails listening, the skills behind it and obstacles one has to overcome to be a good listener.

For example, Shafir’s articles, “Mindful Listening,” shows how listening is vital for transforming every aspect of our life and how ineffective listening can affect one’s daily life. The second section dwells on expressing oneself. Article by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen, “Expression: Speak For Yourself With Clarity and Power,” helps in this chapter to explain how speaking clearly through starting a conversation with what matters most and saying it clearly in a conversation is important. Therefore, part two helps to show three parts of a fruitful communication. The article helped me to realize that such a person takes time to understand anything when she is annoyed or frustrated. The book can help her to be more aware of what she dislikes and expressing her frustration gracefully and avoiding self-criticism.

Also, such a neighbor could use this article set a boundary and understand how important it is for her to stay calm, compassionate, and connected with the other person when expressing what she dislikes and creating a peaceful negotiating environment. In that way, it will help her maintain a friendship even though she is disappointed by the other party in a given situation. Thus, it will help my neighbor get rid of her depression problem. In this scenario, Stewart succeeds in bringing intercommunication concept right from its definition, and builds it slowly and concludes it by linking with the social media, a current issue impacting intercommunication. Moreover, Stewart has selected articles of various disciplines from various authors. With an aim to evaluate the interpersonal communication, Stewart opts to employ intellectual and accepted journals that are from various disciplines.

The most popular disciplines that most of the readings come from are psychology, communication, philosophy, and social science. Stewart presents moving articles and readings discussing varied nature and true aspects of interpersonal interactions, personal attitudes and social cognition, verbal and non-verbal cues, identity crisis, and categories of love, fallacy and unfaithfulness, personal ethics, diversity of culture, classes of love, conflict administration, and dialogue. Therefore, I will rate it four stars out of five. Application There are some changes I will have to make in my interpersonal arena. There are various techniques from chapter one to six and chapter twelve, that I will apply from now henceforth after reading it. First, I use social media more often, and therefore I will apply the concepts in chapter 2 so that I can promote my interpersonal contact by using my social media accounts well.

Also, I used to have sometimes difficulty in listening and being attentive while in a conversation with my colleague. Moreover, there are techniques and strategies from this book that I will implement in day to day activities so that I can improve my interpersonal communication style and relationships both personally and professionally. One important of such strategies is dialogue. I will probably have different views on various aspects, and in one way or another, conflict of ideas may arise. Using elements of dialogue, I will be able to come up with an agreement where my opinions and ideas of the other party share a common ground. Therefore, the dialogue will help me not only reduce stress in a workplace but also it will be of great assistance in establishing a strong bond and relationship with my colleagues and workmates.