Effective communication is at the heart of all rewarding human relationships. The ability to both express oneself and to understand what someone is expressing to you is the foundation of making any relationship more fulfilling. Conversation is what separates us from all other species; it's our ability to exchange ideas, views and feelings with one another through the magic of spoken language.

But maybe you've had that moment, at a dinner party or even a crucial job interview, when your mind went blank. Or maybe you often say things you regret to those closest to you. Or perhaps you have an ongoing fear of talking with others. Or you're the painfully shy type. If any of these are true for you, then Improve Your Conversations will help.

Good conversation has a flow like life itself. And just like life, conversation is full of ups and downs, good times and bad and achievements and setbacks. It's our belief that the art and science of good conversation involves ongoing acknowledgment of this flow as it occurs. Life is conversation, and conversation is life.

You will learn:

• The basic skills that will let you take your conversation to the next level
• How these skills are useful in a wide variety of settings: in the workplace, at home and with close friends or total strangers
• How these skills will step up your game in those most dreaded arenas: public speaking and telephone conversation - even if you are shy, not a good speaker and/or always have difficulty talking to others