Communication failures are ubiquitous. Exacerbating the situation, much communication advice is superficial, and the vast research base that should inform best practices in communication is difficult to navigate. Beyond the Sage on the Stage translates lessons from carefully documented scholarship into lucid prose with meaningful examples that illustrate readily applicable communication strategies.

This user-friendly guide provides a unique cross-disciplinary approach to developing the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to achieve evolving communication goals. Topics include optimizing language and visuals, designing comparisons, composing logic stories, conveying authenticity, clarifying data and uncertainty, supporting reasoning and decision-making, avoiding backfires, reading body language, and cultivating empathy.

The book is constructed with a clear progression of logic based on a proven educational framework and provides guidance for communication about both uncontroversial and controversial topics. Demonstrating how commonly dispensed communication advice is often counterproductive, Beyond the Sage on the Stage is an innovative toolkit for being understood, fostering trust and genuine connection, and building a foundation for more effective, inclusive communication.

S.L. Seethaler directs education initiatives and teaches research communications at the University of California, San Diego.

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