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	<title>ToP &#187; Robert Greene</title>
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	<link>http://www.towerofpower.com.au</link>
	<description>Building Powerful People</description>
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		<title>What Men Want in Women</title>
		<link>http://www.towerofpower.com.au/what-men-want-in-women</link>
		<comments>http://www.towerofpower.com.au/what-men-want-in-women#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:47:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Joshua Uebergang aka "Tower of Power"</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Attraction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interpersonal Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[adventurous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[attract men]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[body language]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian Carter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[complaining]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[criticism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fear of rejection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[humor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[insecure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[passion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Patty Contenta]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[playfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Robert Greene]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[seduction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[status]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.towerofpower.com.au/?p=208</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Do men confuse you? Men date bitches, guys don&#8217;t talk to you, and they all seem to want sex. Guys are confusing. The male specie is nonsense from a female perspective. There&#8217;s your first barrier that stops you from figuring out what men want in women when dating and in relationships. As long as you [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span class="dropcap">D</span>o men confuse you? Men date bitches, guys don&#8217;t talk to you, and they all seem to want sex. Guys are confusing. The male specie is nonsense from a female perspective.</p>
<p>There&#8217;s your first barrier that stops you from figuring out what men want in women when dating and in relationships. As long as you try to figure out men through your womanly experiences and understandings, you&#8217;ll forever remain confused.</p>
<p>Men differ from women. Before you give me a Nobel Prize for that remarkable statement, understand that women tend to operate from their limiting beliefs in dating and relationships. They apply their reality of chemistry and connection to a man&#8217;s reality, forgetting a male&#8217;s emotional psychology is completely different to their own.</p>
<p><!--adsense--></p>
<p>If you cook, clean, and shop for a man in hope he likes you, you&#8217;ll be ineffective at triggering attraction and other important responses men want to feel around women. You wouldn&#8217;t feel attracted to a guy who only sat around watching football drinking beer so don&#8217;t become the female equivalent.</p>
<p>To figure out what men want in women, put aside your preconceived notions about dating and relationships then listen. Men will also benefit from reading this article because it helps you, if you&#8217;re a guy, better understand your desires so you can build better relationships and attract quality women.<span id="more-208"></span></p>
<h2>Men Want Only Sex</h2>
<p>Too many women believe the only thing a man wants in a woman is sex. Men want so much more. Remember what I said earlier about judging from your experiences and perspective?</p>
<p>A man may only desire sex from you because you focus on physical qualities. When your attractiveness depends on dressing sexy for him and sexual comments, you&#8217;re seen as a friend with benefits. You invoke a caveman response from him. This satisfies some women some of the time, but you might want more.</p>
<div class="pullqright"><span class="pullqstart">&#8220;</span>Physical attraction is just one part!<span class="pullqend">&#8221;</span></div>
<p>Many men (or should I say boys?) have yet to evolve on an emotional level. They seek only physical attraction because their emotions are blocked. They don&#8217;t know how to connect at an emotional level. Imagine putting on a pair of green glasses. It doesn&#8217;t matter what colors exist, everything is seen green. A person&#8217;s lack of emotional development blinds him from that level of awareness.</p>
<p>As confusing as it is to women who project their own qualities onto men, physical involvement is unequal to a relationship. A man can be physically involved with a woman and want nothing more. I believe this is what forms the belief that men only want sex. The problem with this belief is it overlooks other areas of attraction men want in women. Physical attraction is simply one part of an intimate relationship.</p>
<p>Nearly all men ultimately want a fulfilling relationship with one woman. A guy may not want this now or in the near future, but ultimately that is what he desires. If he says otherwise, he is usually emotionally immature or yet to meet a great woman.</p>
<h2>The Secret is Attraction</h2>
<p>Every man wants to feel significant, important, desired, and sexy. There&#8217;s a broad array of characteristics great men want in women that lead to one experience. The secret feeling a man wants to have around you is one of attraction.</p>
<p>You may think of attraction as “chemistry”. It&#8217;s the energetic charge between two people that evokes an animalistic urge. When you become what men want in women, men feel attracted to you.</p>
<p>Attraction can be temporary, but when you understand its principles and continually refine them (by re-reading this article and purchasing books on the subject), you make attraction long-term that leads to commitment and a satisfying relationship!</p>
<p>You probably know a few women who seem to effortlessly pull men towards them. They easily attract men through their looks or personality. These women understand attraction, even though they probably didn&#8217;t learn it from a source like this article.</p>
<h2>Three Types of Attraction</h2>
<p>Men can be attracted to you in three primary areas. We crave for all three in a partner.</p>
<p>As I mentioned earlier, there is physical attraction. Men are turned on more than women by visuals. It&#8217;s important to dress well, get your hair beautiful, be slightly tanned, show off your figure, and exercise.</p>
<p>Are you not that beautiful? You can still improve it by learning from other women. You may also have an advantage over attractive women!</p>
<div class="pullqleft"><span class="pullqstart">&#8220;</span>Feeling insecure about your looks is a bigger turn off than looks itself.<span class="pullqend">&#8221;</span></div>
<p>Beautiful women tend to identify with their looks and become insecure. Feeling insecure about your looks is a bigger turn off than looks itself. Attractive women, in general, go through life easier than less attractive women so they have yet to develop the two other areas of attraction that lead to satisfying relationships</p>
<p>Guys tend to want women who are attractive, but lack personality, for the short-term. You cannot have a relationship with a body part. Looks is only one piece of the attraction puzzle.</p>
<p>The second type of attraction is intellectual. Intellectual attraction comes from more rational, logical means controllable through words and actions. Think of the bimbo blonde who has a peanut for her brain – that&#8217;s the opposite to an intellectually attractive woman. It&#8217;s a pain to live with someone unintelligent. An attractive man wants a woman who holds a conversation with almost anyone, talks about his interests, regularly reads books, and teaches him valuable lessons.</p>
<p><!--adsense#articleright--></p>
<p>The third type of attraction is emotional. If a guy suddenly becomes disinterested in you, a lack of emotional attraction is the problem. A real relationship fails to develop in the absence of emotional attraction. <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/topic/attraction">Ways to attract men</a> emotionally involve high status behavior, teasing, playfulness, mystery, and unpredictability.</p>
<p>Deficiency in an area of attraction decreases a man&#8217;s interest in you. Intensify all three forms of attraction to hypnotize any man.</p>
<p>Since you can go elsewhere for advice to improve your physical looks, what I&#8217;ll teach you in this article on what men want in women builds your intellectual and emotional attraction to start a great relationship and keep it that way. You are discovering the secrets men wish you knew that society will not tell you.</p>
<img src="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=208&type=feed" alt="" /><h3>Other Articles That Might Help You</h3>
<ol>
		<li><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/what-women-want-in-men" rel="bookmark">What Women Want in Men</a><!-- (18.3)--></li>
		<li><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/how-to-be-charming-to-men-and-women" rel="bookmark">How to Be Charming to Men and Women</a><!-- (13.8)--></li>
		<li><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/review-of-catch-him-and-keep-him-by-christian-carter" rel="bookmark">Review of Catch Him and Keep Him by Christian Carter</a><!-- (5.2)--></li>
	</ol>

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		<title>Principles and Tips to Deal with Difficult People</title>
		<link>http://www.towerofpower.com.au/principles-and-tips-to-deal-with-difficult-people</link>
		<comments>http://www.towerofpower.com.au/principles-and-tips-to-deal-with-difficult-people#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:18:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Joshua Uebergang aka "Tower of Power"</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Conflict Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Negotiation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parenting and Children]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[active listening skills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Big Talk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blame-game]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carl Jung]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[communication barriers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[complaining]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conflict avoidance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[criticism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dependency]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Difficult Conversations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Edward Whitmont]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[interdependent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[moralizing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[needs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nonverbal Communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[power]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[proactive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[responsibility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Robert Greene]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sending solutions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shadow image]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stubborn]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.towerofpower.com.au/?p=115</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The investigative in-law. The bossy boss. The crying child. The nasty neighbor. The cranky colleague. You may prefer to categorize them all as “jerks”. The list of “jerks” that make life miserable go on. Fortunately, there are principles and tips to help you deal with difficult people. Principles do not change. Water is two hydrogen [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>he investigative in-law. The <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/how-to-manage-and-deal-with-an-aggressive-boss">bossy boss</a>. The crying child. The nasty neighbor. The cranky colleague. You may prefer to categorize them all as “jerks”. The list of “jerks” that make life miserable go on. Fortunately, there are principles and tips to help you deal with difficult people.</p>
<p>Principles do not change. Water is two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom – this will not change. The North poles of two magnets repel – this will not change. Gravity rips you down to Earth – this will not change. The unchanging laws of science are parallel to the unchanging principles and laws of communication to deal with difficult people.</p>
<p>If you have a difficult person in your life, you may think he or she is impossible to deal with, yet the person is not an impenetrable rock. It&#8217;s human! And humans follow laws of psychology and behavior you can benefit from. This article will provide you with judo-like principles to convert seemingly impossible forces of a difficult person into tips to effectively deal with them.<span id="more-115"></span></p>
<p><!--adsense--></p>
<p>The world is filled with stubborn people. The difficult people – and not so difficult – even think you&#8217;re at times difficult. Learn the following tips (taken from my <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/secrets/?sid=top-115">Communication Secrets of Powerful People Program</a>) to deal with difficult people in your everyday life:</p>
<h2>What Doesn&#8217;t Work</h2>
<p><strong>Sending solutions</strong>. Common phrases that indicate solving include: “What if you&#8230;” “Stop doing&#8230; and start&#8230;” and “Why don&#8217;t you&#8230;” Telling people what to do does not work. <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/4-reasons-advice-and-other-solutions-kill-relationships">Solutions are the problem</a>. The more you push solutions on people, the more they pull away from you and your suggestion. Real solutions, commitment, and desire for change come from participation.</p>
<p><strong>Moralizing</strong>. Common phrases that indicate moralizing include: “You should&#8230;.” “It would be good for you to&#8230;” and “Stop doing wrong&#8230;” Chapter eight of my program defines moralizing words as “using what is right and wrong, good and bad, black and white to further your logic.” Manipulation from guilt and other emotions that arise from moral words do not change difficult people – yet alone anyone.</p>
<p><strong>Complaints</strong>. “I wish Bill wasn&#8217;t so damn annoying.” Bickering is mental masturbation. Creation comes from being proactive. If you complain, you&#8217;re the difficult person. You become no better than the person you try to change.</p>
<p><strong>Criticism</strong>. People criticize to build change. “I&#8217;m results-focused. I criticize people to get things done.” Similar lines of thinking drive the <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/secrets/?sid=top-115">12 communication barriers</a> (criticism, labeling, diagnosing, praise, orders, threats, questions, moralizing, advice, reason, reassurance, and deflecting). Avoid criticism because it is not charismatic persuasion. Criticism intensifies conflict. Criticized individuals feel diminished, unworthy, and less important.</p>
<h2>What Does Work: 10 Principles and Tips to Deal with a Difficult Person</h2>
<p>The following principles and tips are not short-term tricks to transform an annoying person. Endless articles have been written on the Internet that provide frivolous advice on this topic. When the core problem is addressed, however, colds get skipped and the cancer is cut out. The advice in this article gets down to the core of what really matters when dealing with a difficult person and does not change from situation because the advice is timeless.</p>
<p><strong>1. You see the world as you are</strong>. Stephanie Rosenbloom for <em>The New York Times</em> hit the heart of difficult people; or rather the people who think someone is difficult. Rosenbloom says the issue “is not the difficult people themselves. It is you.”</p>
<div class="pullqright"><span class="pullqstart">&#8220;</span>Problems transmute from your perception, then your reaction.<span class="pullqend">&#8221;</span></div>
<p>Most articles that provide tips to deal with difficult people focus on difficult individuals (“They&#8217;re the problem”); hence they miss the real problem (“You&#8217;re part of the problem”). You play a role in a difficult person&#8217;s behavior. Problems transmute from your perception, then your reaction. Carl Jung said we repress certain characteristics often due to our attempts to <a href="http://www.citypsychotherapy.org/2011/news/the-untouchable-within-jung-shadow-and-the-c-of-e-on-youtube" target="_blank">fit in with people</a>, which manifest in discomfort around people we repulse. Jungian psychoanalyst Edward Whitmont writes:</p>
<blockquote><p>“Ask someone to give a description of the personality type which he finds most despicable, most unbearable and hateful, and most impossible to get along with, and he will produce a description of his own repressed characteristics – a self-description which is utterly unconscious and which therefore always and everywhere tortures him as he receives its effect from the other person. These very qualities are so unacceptable to him precisely because they represent his own repressed side; only that which he cannot accept without ourselves do we find impossible to live with in others.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What characteristics in people do you hate most? What do these characteristics say about you? Who doesn&#8217;t find the person difficult? What can you learn from people who don&#8217;t find the person hard to face?</p>
<p>A chronically difficult person is rare. Your self-image makes people difficult. I strongly encourage you to notice as often as possible what you deny in yourself because this could be a repressed image, a shadow you see in others, that you have ignored in the past. “In the end,” says Rosenbloom, “the specialists say, we cannot control other people, only our response to them.” (The first chapter of my <em><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/bigtalk/?sid=top-115">Big Talk</a></em> training course taps into this deep, dark psychological theory that stops us from enjoyable conversation. When you connect with your full self, it becomes easy to connect with people and make friends. This is cutting-edge material you can discover more about <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/bigtalk/?sid=top-115">here</a>.)</p>
<p><strong>2. Lose the need to be right</strong>. When you enter a conversation with the intent to fix someone, you become difficult. Stephen Covey in <em><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/review-of-the-7-habits-of-highly-effective-people-by-stephen-covey">The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People</a></em> says you must open yourself to be influenced to influence. Quit thinking you&#8217;re right because this drives your resistance to be changed and change people.</p>
<p><strong>3. Clear your heart, open your mind</strong>. Too often our experiences with people hurt our current conversations with them. It takes time for someone in your negative light to shift under a positive spotlight – even when the person hasn&#8217;t been difficult for a while.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/finding-the-art-of-forgiveness-how-to-forgive-and-be-forgiven">Forgive</a> to clean your heart then keep an open mind as to why someone is difficult. Stop hopping to conclusions by portraying the problem as the person&#8217;s difficulty. You blockade truth with judgments and fear of self-analysis.</p>
<p>Perhaps you are the problem, their father was diagnosed with cancer, or they are in financial trouble. Acknowledge that you do not – and will never – know all reasons why someone is difficult. An open mind that welcomes a person&#8217;s point of view to enter possible explanations for their behavior creates a cushion to soften harsh judgments.</p>
<p>Listen to the difficult person and let them express their point of view – it will help you see why they are difficult. This tip alone can be enough to deal with the person as you see the reason for their behavior. Listen honestly, actively, and empathically.</p>
<p><strong>4. Want difficult people</strong>. It&#8217;s scary, but wanting a bothersome person helps you. Difficult people create conflict – and this creates change. If organisms faced no challenges, they would have no reason to evolve. Difficulties challenge you, compelling you to evolve into a superior being.</p>
<p>Does this mean you can be difficult? No. There is people who find you difficult enough. The diversity of human nature brings with it differences that catapult humanity through difficulties.</p>
<p><strong>5. Be proactive, not reactive</strong>. Reactive persons blame circumstances for their reality. They reciprocate bad behavior. They reason other people need to change.</p>
<div class="pullqleft"><span class="pullqstart">&#8220;</span>The diversity of human nature brings with it differences that catapult humanity through difficulties.<span class="pullqend">&#8221;</span></div>
<p>Proactive persons create what they want regardless of constricting circumstances. Create a value in yourself to be proactive and treat people with respect. Once you stop reciprocating bad behavior, you feel proud, empowered, and in control of your life – regardless of whether you successfully handle the situation. Make the fundamental decision to commit to the advice given in this article.</p>
<p><strong>6. Be responsible, not a victim</strong>. Don&#8217;t blame people for how they make you feel. The degree you&#8217;re a victim of someone&#8217;s behavior controls the impact it has on you.</p>
<p>Take responsibility for how you feel. Prevent people from entering and exiting your emotional state at will. Eliminate blame to free yourself from a person&#8217;s difficult behavior.</p>
<p>You don&#8217;t have to be burdened by people&#8217;s problems. You will work towards a solution faster and be less emotionally exasperated when you lose the victim mentality and stop thinking people are villains. My friend Gary Harper has a <a href="http://www.joyofconflict.com/Articles/taming_the_dragon_lady.pdf" target="_blank">good article</a> on this where he also discusses similar principles to this article.</p>
<p><strong>7. Be problem-oriented, not person-oriented</strong>. Difficult people have a difficult problem and are trying to fulfill a need the only way they know possible. It seems elusive, but even they want to live in harmony.</p>
<p>People are not the problem. Focus on the problem and not the person. A helpful tip for this is to disassociate the problem from the person. Their behavior, even you, or something else is the problem.</p>
<p><strong>8. Find the unmet need</strong>. Difficult people have an unmet need. Whether somebody is angry, unhappy, depressed, loud, or anxious, they try to fulfill a need – though it is often done poorly. Notice a hidden need beneath someone&#8217;s difficult behavior, and you will see another human being. This will allow you to compassionately communicate. <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/the-complete-nonviolent-communication-nvc-process">The Nonviolent Communication Process</a> is a model that gets you focused on, and fulfilling, other people&#8217;s needs and your own.</p>
<p><strong>9. Be interdependent</strong>. Dependency is unhealthy. To overcome this, self-help experts teach independence. According to most people, independence is health, freedom, and power. By itself, nothing could be further from the truth.</p>
<p>According to Robert Greene, author of <em><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/review-of-the-48-laws-of-power-by-robert-greene">48 Laws of Power</a></em>, a powerful individual living in isolation destroys his power. John O&#8217;Neil in <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&#038;location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FParadox-Success-John-R-ONeil%2Fdp%2F0874777720&#038;tag=toptop-20&#038;linkCode=ur2&#038;camp=1789&#038;creative=9325" target="_blank">The Paradox of Success</a></em> confirms Greene&#8217;s remarks. O&#8217;Neil says leaders and other individuals in powerful positions destroy their success and happiness with overt independence. Such persons do it all, have chronic obsessions with work and difficulties getting their mind off work, and easily become irritated by others who disagree with their decision-making. </p>
<p>A powerful communicator knows <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/the-decision-tree-of-effective-leadership-to-create-freedom-and-independence">how to distribute decision-making for freedom</a>. He or she knows how to seek help because the person is not afraid to admit failure and learn. This is the interdependent standpoint you need beyond solitude. “When we try to pick out anything by itself,” said famed conservationist John Muir, “we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.”</p>
<p>You don&#8217;t need to solve all problems by yourself. It sounds simple, but talking to a parent, manager, or human resource department is helpful. Other people bring knowledge, skills, and persuasive power to handle a difficult person. However, be beware of risks associated with making a private problem public. It&#8217;s your responsibility to respect a person&#8217;s privacy concerns, but at the same time you need to request another&#8217;s help when necessary.</p>
<p><strong>10. Be detached from an outcome.</strong></p>
<p>If the above tips and principles fail you, it&#8217;s not because they don&#8217;t work – it&#8217;s because you disobeyed them. The principles and tips given to you cannot fail because they are the foundations for good communication.</p>
<div class="pullqright"><span class="pullqstart">&#8220;</span>When you attach to an outcome, your rigidity causes resistance.<span class="pullqend">&#8221;</span></div>
<div class="bonusboxleft">
<p class="bonusboxheading">The Key Skill to Manage Difficult People</p>
<p>Listening is the most important skill to manage a difficult person. When you <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/topic/listening-skills">actively listen</a>, you immediately implement many of the principles discussed in this article. Here are some key points to keep in mind to effectively listen that summarize principles of dealing with difficult people:</p>
<ol>
<li>Enter the present moment. Focus on the now, not the past or future.</li>
<li>Stop judging their words. Avoid solutions, criticism, and moral statements – even if you don&#8217;t verbalize them – because thinking such patterns affect your behavior.</li>
<li>Name the difficult behavior without judgmental evaluation. “You are angry” is right as opposed to “You are annoying”. This creates awareness to initiate change.
<li>Encourage emotional expression: “Tell me about what made you angry”. Resisting emotions causes them to persist and makes a difficult person more stubborn.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<p>If you lose the need to be right while remaining proactive, for example, you deal with the difficult person. Stop thinking the only way to deal with a difficult person is to change them, such desire only makes you difficult.</p>
<p>When you attach to an outcome by seeking a specific result from an interaction at all costs, your rigidity causes resistance. The most common outcome people attach to when they converse with a difficult person is their need to be right and change the person  (principle #2). Going into a conversation with the righteous intent to change a person guarantees failure. You must detach from an outcome.</p>
<p>If the principles and tips do not bring you the result you&#8217;re after, be prepared to walk away. Give the two of you some space to think the problems through. By doing this, you clear your heart and open your mind, remain proactive, and keep problem-oriented. A tough issue can be solved at a later time. Another day can bring different possibilities. Emotions, thoughts, and attitudes change all the time.</p>
<p>Unsuccessful <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/topic/conflict-management">conflict resolution</a> of an issue with a difficult person can often escalate the problem, but adhere to these principles and tips to deal with a difficult person to make the difficult more manageable. “Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen,” said Friedrich Nietzsche, “few in pursuit of the goal.”</p>
<p>(If you are reading this and found the above principles and tips to deal with difficult people helpful, you will enjoy my “Communication Secrets of Powerful People Program” where the principles for this article were extracted. <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/secrets/?sid=top-115">Click here</a> to learn more about the program and how you can develop your communication skills to charismatically have cold-hearted persons wanting to change. You can also discover more about <em>Big Talk</em>, my training course that lets two persons openly and freely talk with one another, <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/bigtalk/?sid=top-115">here</a>.)</p>
<img src="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=115&type=feed" alt="" /><h3>Other Articles That Might Help You</h3>
<ol>
		<li><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/controlling-people" rel="bookmark">Controlling People &#8211; Signs of a Controlling Person and How to Deal with Them</a><!-- (20.9)--></li>
		<li><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/review-of-difficult-conversations-by-douglas-stone-bruce-patton-and-sheila-heen" rel="bookmark">Review of Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen</a><!-- (13.6)--></li>
		<li><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/how-to-manage-and-deal-with-an-aggressive-boss" rel="bookmark">How to Manage and Deal with an Aggressive Boss</a><!-- (11.3)--></li>
		<li><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/how-to-not-care-what-people-are-thinking-about-you" rel="bookmark">How to Not Care What People Are Thinking About You &#8211; and Release Your People-Magnetic Self Into the Conversation</a><!-- (10.1)--></li>
		<li><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/review-of-the-7-habits-of-highly-effective-people-by-stephen-covey" rel="bookmark">Review of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey</a><!-- (9.8)--></li>
	</ol>

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		<title>The Greatest 15 Myths of Communication</title>
		<link>http://www.towerofpower.com.au/the-greatest-15-myths-of-communication</link>
		<comments>http://www.towerofpower.com.au/the-greatest-15-myths-of-communication#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:18:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Joshua Uebergang aka "Tower of Power"</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Emotional Intelligence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interpersonal Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nonverbal Communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Albert Mehrabian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[body language]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[communication skills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Difficult Conversations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[emotion versus logic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[George Bernard Shaw]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leil Lowndes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lying]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[myths]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presentation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Robert Greene]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[truth]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.towerofpower.com.au/?p=97</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#8220;Getting rid of a delusion makes us wiser than getting hold of a truth.&#8221; &#8211; Karl Ludwig Borne (1786-1837) &#8220;Myth is an attempt to narrate a whole human experience, of which the purpose is too deep, going too deep in the blood and soul, for mental explanation or description.&#8221; &#8211; David Herbert Lawrence (1885-1930), English [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote><p>&#8220;Getting rid of a delusion makes us wiser than getting hold of a truth.&#8221; &#8211; Karl Ludwig Borne (1786-1837)</p>
<p>&#8220;Myth is an attempt to narrate a whole human experience, of which the purpose is too deep, going too deep in the blood and soul, for mental explanation or description.&#8221; &#8211; David Herbert Lawrence (1885-1930), English writer who often criticized modern living&#8217;s negative influence on humans</p>
<p>“Few people have the imagination for reality.” &#8211; Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), famous German writer</p>
</blockquote>
<p><span class="dropcap">L</span>ies, deception, misunderstandings, illusions, distortions, and deceit is easier to accept than the truth. We are creatures of denial. Ignorance has a cushioning effect to soften the harshness of reality.</p>
<p>While you may ignore the truth because it is uncomfortable to face, other times you accept myths over truth because you don&#8217;t know the difference. A relationship expert, counselor, psychologist, or even a communication trainer may have mislead you to believe a communication myth is truth. Whatever the case maybe, this article is sure to shake up your communication beliefs and shock you into reality, allowing you to communicate more effectively.<span id="more-97"></span></p>
<p><!--adsense--></p>
<p>Originally I was struggling to complete 10 myths for this article, but after brainstorming, researching, observing people communicate, coaching people on their communication skills, asking tens of thousands of subscribers on communication myths, and picking out myths from my buried notes, 15 myths fitted surprisingly snug. I believe all these myths need to be revealed, cleared, and truth be told so we are better empowered to improve our personalities and relationships.</p>
<p>The greatest myths of communication are arranged in order depending on their frequency and strength in people&#8217;s minds. From lies, illusions, flawed teachings, and misunderstandings, it is time to debunk the top 15 all-time myths of communication:</p>
<h2>#15 Myth: Logic makes communication effective</h2>
<p>Logic destroys relationships. The next time you see two people in an argument, watch them focus on the logical level. Each person will give facts the other does not care about. The content and logical focus of a conversation has been the demise of many relationships.</p>
<p>When bland words and facts are focused upon, causing emotions to be overlooked, the relationship suffers. Intelligence, reasoning, and rationality are fine. Problems can arise when logic gets center of attention in a conversion – especially during conflict. The emotional content of conflict needs to be handled first before facts can surface.</p>
<div class="pullqright"><span class="pullqstart">&#8220;</span>Humans are predictably irrational.<span class="pullqend">&#8221;</span></div>
<p>Stop focusing on the content of conversations. Look beyond the words to see emotion. Start caring about people&#8217;s emotions beneath their content of a conversation because relationships are fueled by emotion.</p>
<p>Even in business communications you need to focus on emotion. We want others to understand how we feel instead of pointing out the facts or telling us how to feel. When you understand humans are creatures of emotion, and that we are predictably irrational, you enable yourself to have great charisma and persuasive power. (I recommend you read <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/secrets/?sid=top-97">chapter 10 of my communication secrets program</a> for full details on how to overcome this logical dilemma to communicate at an emotional level so you powerfully connect with people.)</p>
<h2>#14 Myth: Effective communication is about the blunt truth</h2>
<p>I know this myth will be interpreted by readers in a different way than how I intend it to be. A person who always tells the blunt truth is disliked by those who always get told the truth. Truth-tellers use the excuse of, “I tell it how it is” and “If people can&#8217;t deal with reality, it&#8217;s their problem.” They may even see their need to tell the truth as a virtue.</p>
<p>The truth we tell others often manifests itself into criticism that gets thrown back into our faces with defensiveness or arguments. Truth is hurtful when delivered in the absence of empathy. Productive communication is inhibited when people are too busy defending themselves from personal attacks.</p>
<p>I am not advocating you lie or give people enormous amounts of praise when they sucked at something or to live a deceptive life. Lies are unnecessary when you deliver the facts with compassion. You need compassion in a tell-it-like-it-is attitude.</p>
<p>Truth is not a virtue without compassion. “Our tendency is to choose up sides, valuing certain emotional skills while neglecting and even disparaging others,” write Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz in <em>The Power of Full Engagement</em>. “Take a moment to consider how broad a range of emotional muscles you have in your own life. In all likelihood you will discover that you have considerable more strength on one side of the spectrum than on the other. Notice, too, the judgment that you bring to the relative merits of opposing qualities.”</p>
<p>Loehr and Schwartz go on to write that “no emotional capacity better serves depth and richness more than the willingness to value feelings that seem contradictory and not to choose up sides between them.” Have you been limiting your array of emotional skills by valuing the blunt truth over compassion?</p>
<h2>#13 Myth: Communication solves everything</h2>
<p>As someone who teaches communication skills, this myth is something I would like to believe! Unfortunately, communication does not solve all conflict and relationship problems. Sometimes the greatest charismatically persuasive communication cannot solve relationship issues.</p>
<p>Marina Benjamen, Ph.D. of Psych Central sees a frequent scenario in couples counseling. Couples have no “serious problem”. Both partners can vouch for no drinking, abuse, or infidelity. The problem? They do not communicate. A lack of communication can happen for many reasons, but by itself it rarely leads to relationship resolutions. “Good communication exposes conflict that when effectively dealt with,” says Benjamen, “can promote a more open and intimate connection.”</p>
<p>I have come to notice a transition point in people who adopt this myth of communication solving everything. The general public are vaguely advised that “communication is important in relationships”. Few people like yourself who go one step further by learning conflict management, emotional mastery, and self awareness, for example, come to realize how <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/the-benefits-of-communication-skills">communication is greatly beneficial</a>. The more we learn and develop ourselves, the more emphasis we place on communication. Eventually, we come to believe that any argument, <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/getting-over-a-relationship-break-up">relationship break up</a>, or person who does not like us comes from poor communication.</p>
<p>Think of a worldly issue, like abortion or the death penalty, that you have a strong stance on. Do you think someone with opposing views who communicates well would change your mind? If you really believe in your stance on the issue, then communication is not going to change your mind. You and I have religious, political, and personal values that prevent communication solving everything.</p>
<p>Communication is the relationship, a shared connection between two points. Communication forms the bridge in a relationship so it makes sense to assume the problems coming and going must exist on the bridge. If either side has a serious enough foundational problem, however, the strongest bridge is not going to last.</p>
<div class="pullqleft"><span class="pullqstart">&#8220;</span>Communication forms the bridge in a relationship&#8230; However, if either side has a serious enough foundational problem, the strongest bridge is not going to last.<span class="pullqend">&#8221;</span></div>
<p>People ask, “What things can I say and do to make people like me?” This is the wrong type of thinking! Most effective communication is doomed before you even open your mouth. Becoming charismatic and persuasive starts from within you. Changing people&#8217;s behavior starts from within you. And having intimate, sharing, and loving relationships starts within you. <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/review-of-change-your-thinking-change-your-life-by-brian-tracy">Change your life by changing your thinking</a>. Good relationships happen with self development; not only through good communication.</p>
<p>I steer my focus away from telling people to say rehashed lines in certain situations because no magical line can effectively work when you are incongruent with your words. You can say one brilliant communication line, but how you feel and think is a greater influence on the outcome. My <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/secrets/?sid=top-97">Communication Secrets of Powerful People Program</a> is not about rehashed lines. It gets you deeply understanding yourself and other people so you can begin communicating more intimately, powerfully, persuasively, and charismatically.</p>
<h2>#12 Myth: Learning communication makes you a better communicator</h2>
<p>We are at a global health crisis. Doctors have repeatedly said that the large percentage of health problems in Western countries comes from choices controllable by those who suffer such health ailments. We are in control of drinking, eating, smoking, stressing, and exercising. The global health crisis is not occurring because we have failed to learn the implications of the evil five of health – we all know what happens when ignoring these – but the problem comes from our inability to change. (This is further proof that logic is weak.)</p>
<p>Learning about a health problem does not automatically make you healthier. We all know how to lose weight: you consume less energy than you put out. But the majority of us have health problems within our control, which we logically understand, yet continue to ignore.</p>
<p>Learning communication only makes you a better communicator when the lessons lead to behavioral change. Even failing at a new skill makes you a better communicator because you went out and did something. Stop trying to intellectualize everything and just give it a go. You will become a better communicator when you do it. (I recommend you read Alan Deutschman&#8217;s <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&#038;location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FChange-Die-Three-Keys-Work%2Fdp%2F0060886897&#038;tag=toptop-20&#038;linkCode=ur2&#038;camp=1789&#038;creative=9325" target="_blank">Change or Die</a></em> for more information about this topic.)</p>
<h2>#11 Myth: Communication is one-way</h2>
<p><!--adsense#articleright--></p>
<p>Radios, televisions, and many electrical devices in the home communicate one-way messages. It seems our relationships are often the same. At times it appears we communicate in a monologue. There is still two-way communication – just poor two-way communication – because we cannot not communicate.</p>
<p>Communication in human relationships is two-way. Even one-way communication like public speaking is two-way. We have eyes and ears that absorb people&#8217;s communication as listening or a lack of listening communicates a message. You can <a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/topic/listening-skills">listen and not say a word to communicate</a>. Whether you choose to do something with this gathered information to improve your relationships, increase your charisma, or boost your persuasion is up to you. It is up to you if you choose to empathize, laugh at, pay attention to, or ignore another person&#8217;s communication, yet two-way communication will always exist. Several other myths, as you will soon discover, nicely tie into this myth.</p>
<img src="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=97&type=feed" alt="" /><h3>Other Articles That Might Help You</h3>
<ol>
		<li><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/the-benefits-of-communication-skills" rel="bookmark">The Benefits of Communication Skills</a><!-- (10.4)--></li>
		<li><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/why-smart-people-have-poor-communication-skills-and-what-to-do-about-it" rel="bookmark">Why Smart People Have Poor Communication Skills &#8211; and What to Do About It</a><!-- (10.2)--></li>
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		<li><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/review-of-nonviolent-communication-by-marshall-rosenberg" rel="bookmark">Review of Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg</a><!-- (8.2)--></li>
		<li><a href="http://www.towerofpower.com.au/the-heart-of-effective-communication-how-to-love-people" rel="bookmark">The Heart of Effective Communication: How to Love People</a><!-- (8.2)--></li>
	</ol>

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		<title>Review of The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene</title>
		<link>http://www.towerofpower.com.au/review-of-the-48-laws-of-power-by-robert-greene</link>
		<comments>http://www.towerofpower.com.au/review-of-the-48-laws-of-power-by-robert-greene#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:25:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Joshua Uebergang aka "Tower of Power"</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Negotiation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Attraction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[authority]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Baltasar Gracian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[manipulation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Niccolo Machiavelli]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[power]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Robert Greene]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[seduction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sun Tzu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[war]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.towerofpower.com.au/?p=85</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is a book review of Robert Greene&#8217;s The 48 Laws of Power. Greene takes the reader back through many centuries when Marie Antoinette become the French Queen and was later decapitated, and Machiavelli charmed the court to his way of thinking. From nationwide victories to intimate seductions and lies of alchemy, Greene has written [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>his is a book review of Robert Greene&#8217;s <em>The 48 Laws of Power</em>.</p>
<p>Greene takes the reader back through many centuries when Marie Antoinette become the French Queen and was later decapitated, and Machiavelli charmed the court to his way of thinking. From nationwide victories to intimate seductions and lies of alchemy, Greene has written a masterpiece that deduces 48 laws of power from past powerful individuals and the not so powerful.<span id="more-85"></span></p>
<p>Greene is author of three savvy books covering seduction, war, and power. His interest in topics others overlook because they appear greedy, manipulative, and condescending have caused people to frown upon his work. On the “opposite side” of his reviewers are people greatly thankful for his teachings on the power, manipulation, and the seduction games that take place regardless of one&#8217;s liking towards the topics.</p>
<p><!--adsense--></p>
<p><em>The 48 Laws of Power</em> is divided into 48 chapters. It starts off with a fascinating discussion in the preface on the arguments many people have against power. The author says many people think power is immoral or unfairly differentiates people. It would be unfair for all people to have equal power because each of us are unique and have different skill sets. People who unconsciously use moralistic arguments against power, openness, and attempts to be fair, actually further their own power or bring someone else&#8217;s power down. Robert Greene goes on to say:</p>
<blockquote><p>“To some people the notion of consciously playing power games – no matter how indirect – seems evil, asocial, a relic of the past. They believe they can opt out of the game by behaving in ways that have nothing to do with power. You must beware of such people&#8230; they are often among the most adept players at power.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Power games are inevitable. I won&#8217;t say that all 48 laws are useful in all your relationships, however, because power isn&#8217;t everything; though many people do underestimate the importance of power in everyday living. From personal relationships to dealing with customers, more power will benefit you – and when you use it correctly, it will benefit the relationship. Thinking otherwise uses the same moralistic arguments Greene discusses in the preface. Even so, some laws of power seemed harsh to me, but this is the reality of power and I accept it. Power isn&#8217;t meant to be pretty. We are talking about power; not a book about fairies and pixey-love.</p>
<p>Moving on, the historical research within the book is phenomenal. The author and his team of researchers have dug through many books on history to provide hundreds of stories about users of the laws of power. The reader is given insights into powerful historical greats like Sun Tzu, con artist Joseph “Yellow Kid” Weil, and seducer Casanova.</p>
<p>With the large number of references to Niccolo Machiavelli and Baltasar Gracian, I assume these were Robert Greene&#8217;s primary figures of authority from which he developed most of his principles. Even if you have little interest in history, like myself, you will still find the stories interesting. The stories in each chapter show how the discussed law of power being was used to increase power and when it was disobeyed to decrease power. An “interpretation” section is provided after each observance and transgression of the law to help you understand the interpersonal dynamics and power games played by those in the story. The author&#8217;s interpretation of the story provides a great way of understanding the keys to power and adapting the principles to your everyday life.</p>
<div class="pullqright"><span class="pullqstart">&#8220;</span>The historical research within the book is phenomenal.<span class="pullqend">&#8221;</span></div>
<p>At the chapter&#8217;s end, I found the images Greene paints in the reader&#8217;s mind with a vivid statement to be influential. Here&#8217;s one example of an image used for law 20 (Do not commit to anyone): “A Thicket of Shrubs. In the forest, one shrub latches on to another, entangling its neighbor with its thorns, the thicket slowly extending its impenetrable domain. Only what keeps its distance and stand apart can grow and rise above the thicket.”</p>
<p>Initially it may appear some rules contradict each other such as law 15 (Crush your enemy totally) and law 47 (Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory, learn when to stop) as well as law 16 (Use absence to increase respect and honor) and law 18 (Do not build fortresses to protect yourself – isolation is dangerous), but they are not contradictory. Discussing the latter, absence and maintaining a connection with people have their own uses in specific circumstances. Be flexible and use common sense to determine each law&#8217;s application. Each law has a context for its application.</p>
<p>Most of the pages within the book have fables, quotes, and small interesting stories that “distill three thousand years of the history of power.” Anecdotes line one side of the pages to nicely complement the chapter&#8217;s discussion. At a large 450 pages, the book mimics a textbook. You can expect to discover many great techniques to increase your power, stop yourself from being manipulated by others, and get what you want. Securely grab your copy now from Amazon by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&#038;location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2F48-Laws-Power-Robert-Greene%2Fdp%2F0140280197&#038;tag=toptop-20&#038;linkCode=ur2&#038;camp=1789&#038;creative=9325" target="_blank">clicking here</a> today.</p>
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