Book excerpt: Perfect People Skills helps you to deal with other people effectively and how to be aware of your own behaviour too. Differences of direction and motivation, personality, ethnic group, gender, class and ability can all bring problems, as well as those challenges presented by 'difficult types'. The author provides some powerful ideas for preventing people problems, resolving conflict and building harmonious homes and workplaces. The book is comprehensive and yet concise and to-the-point. It is written in simple, clear language and is designed to be of immediate, practical benefit to readers in developing better relationships at work and outside work. Chapters include advice on: Grounding, Listening, Questioning, Empathising, Speaking, Negotiating, Proposing, Counselling, Confronting and Preventing. The Perfect series is a range of practical guides that give clear and straightforward advice on everything from finding your first job to choosing your baby's name. Written by experienced authors offering tried-and-tested tips, each book contains all you need to get it right first time.