Thompson has an interesting professional biography. He earned a PhD in rhetoric, taught at a community college, decided he didn’t like academe, and went into police work. I have never met anyone who has combined police work with rhetoric, but Thompson seems to have been successful at this task.
His main content consists of teaching about rhetoric – or less pretentiously, verbal communication. However, he entertains by filling in with stories about police work, family life, and the business world. These illustrations bring home the art of communication into real life.
The good news is that Thompson does not come across as some high-falootin’ and out-of-touch academic. He admits that he stunk as a speaker at first and that he made many mistakes as a cop as well. In fact, he turns many of his mistakes into teaching points by connecting them with key concepts. The key to Thompson is learning and adjusting to the realities before you.
Anyone interested in improving their communication style will appreciate this fast read. Further, those who work in police work might be particularly interested. Thompson and the company he started ran training sessions nationally based on his acumen. Unfortunately for us, Thompson died several years ago; fortunately, he wrote this book before he died. We can all learn from his wisdom.
Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion
by George J. Thompson and Jerry B. Jenkins
Copyright (c) 2004
ISBN13 9780060577650
Genre: Non-Fiction, Communication/Rhetoric
Page Count: 222
www.amazon.com