Verbal Judo

"English professor and a black-belt master of karate, police officer on an urban beat."

Last night after class one of the officers recommended this book. I wanted to share it with the group. Our RI library system owns 2 copies.

VERBAL JUDO
George J. Thompson, PH.D., was the president and founder of the Verbal Judo Institute before his death in 2011. A former English professor and a black-belt master of karate, he created and crash-tested verbal judo when he was a police officer on an urban beat.

"When you react, the event controls you. When you respond, you're in control."
Verbal Judo is the classic guide to the martial art of the mind and mouth that can help you defuse confrontations and generate cooperation, whether you're talking to a boss, a spouse, or even a teenager. For more than a generation, Dr. George J. Thompson's essential handbook has taught people how to communicate more confidently and persuasively in any situation. Verbal Judo shows you how to listen and speak more effectively, engage others through empathy (the most powerful word in the English language), avoid the most common conversational disasters, and use proven strategies to successfully express your point of view—and take the lead in most disputes.
This updated edition includes a new foreword and a chapter featuring Dr. Thompson's five universal truths of "human interaction":

People feel the need to be respected
People would rather be asked than be told
People have a desire to know why
People prefer to have options over threats
People want to have a second chance

Stop being frustrated and misunderstood. Stop finding yourself on the losing end of an argument. With Verbal Judo you’ll be able to have your say—and say what you mean.

About the Author

George J. Thompson, PH.D., was the president and founder of the Verbal Judo Institute before his death in 2011. A former English professor and a black-belt master of karate, he created and crash-tested verbal judo when he was a police officer on an urban beat.

What does Verbal Judo mean?
Verbal self-defense, also known as verbal judo or verbal aikido, is defined as using one's words to prevent, de-escalate, or end an attempted assault. It is a way of using words to maintain mental and emotional safety.

Verbal self-defense - Wikipedia