Title: Drop the Pink Elephant
Author: Bill McFarland
Publisher: Capstone
ISBN: 1841124796
Price: £12.99
Buy this from the TrainingZONE - Blackwells bookshop.

The first thing that attracted me to this book was the title; what on earth can any business book have to do with pink elephants? The first chapter makes it clear, pink elephants is the name given by Bill McFarland to the habit some people have of always expressing things in the negative. The result, he claims, is that people understand the opposite. Reading this chapter made me more aware of this habit in people, and despite some scepticism on my behalf he is right. What did you think when Paul Burrell said “telling my story was never about money”?

This book doesn’t end there however; it is sub-titled '21 steps to communication heaven'. The author brings his 27 years of experience of being a broadcaster and running courses in communications skills into play.
The book is divided into five discreet sections and emphasis the importance not only how you say things but also what it is you say. The discussion on truth telling and the importance of being able to say sorry in a constructive manner seemed to me to be particularly interesting. Whilst there are numerous other lessons to be learnt the underpinning one that comes through to me is that old adage “please ensure that your brain is in gear before engaging your mouth”.

If your job in any way involves communicating with others- and it is rare to find one that does not- or if you are interested in improving communication in your social life then it is worth your while reading and taking notice of this book. The more fundamental communication is to your life or career the more notice you should take of it. Bill McFarland claims that this book provides the highway code of rules for good communication, and I have to agree with him.

Any pink elephants that may have crept into the above review are entirely my fault and I will endeavour to use alternatives in the future.

Patric Devitt
Psynergy Consulting