Talk to Me Nice: The Seven Trust Languages for a Better Workplace
Minda Harts. Flatiron, $27.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-250-33998-0
“Trust is vital to how we grow in our jobs and become leaders,” according to this helpful guide. Workplace consultant Harts (The Memo) outlines seven qualities for building trust in the workplace, including sensitivity, transparency, and follow-through. Explaining the different ways one might observe the tenet of “acknowledgment,” Harts suggests that some people might want their ideas recognized by having the opportunity to present them to senior staff, while others might prefer to be left alone in acknowledgment of their autonomy. Harts provides guidance for managers and employees alike, as when she explores the importance of acting in accordance with one’s stated principles by warning supervisors against appearing to play favorites and by encouraging workers to take responsibility for and rectify their mistakes. The conversational tone reads like a missive from a close friend and the advice for managers is sensible, but some of the recommendations for employees are relatively undercooked. For instance, Harts’s proposal for how workers can foster a sense of emotional and psychological security in the office consists only of the vague imperative to “speak up and use your voice.” Still, business leaders eager to improve office morale will find much of use. Agent: Byrd Leavell, UTA. (July)
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Reviewed on: 04/21/2025
Genre: Nonfiction