How to Work with (Almost) Anyone

April 24, 2023
In this slight program, business consultant Stanier (How to Begin) opines on how to build strong professional relationships with coworkers, bosses, direct reports, or clients. His approach rests on having one-on-one “keystone conversations” in which individuals discuss five questions regarding their strengths and work habits, what they’ve learned from previous professional relationships, and how to repair their relationship if it turns sour. The details of how to have this conversation are questionable. The scripts Stanier provides are awkwardly worded (he encourages readers to discuss an interlocutor’s talents by asking, “What’s your best?”), and while the in-depth talks he advocates for might be appropriate for a supervisor and direct report, their utility in a provider/client relationship is dubious. Additionally, the numerous personal anecdotes about Stanier riding the bus with his wife and playing Dungeons and Dragons as a teenager do little to shine light on how the advice plays out in the workplace. There are a few useful nuggets peppered throughout, including the suggestion that readers “let go of ‘being right’ ” when clearing the air in a difficult relationship and restating at the end of a conversation what one learned, which he suggests helps one remember the information. However, these tidbits don’t make up for the overall lackluster guidance. This misses the mark.