Book excerpt: A beautifully simple guide to the relationship skills we all so deeply need, but most of us don’t know how to access. This book belongs firmly on the curriculum for creating a more peaceful world. Dr Scilla Elworthy, three times Nobel Peace Prize nominee This book is a tool box. Keep it close at hand and dip in often. Jim Carter OBE and Imelda Staunton CBE, actors Brilliant, easy to understand, and applies with equal force in personal and professional contexts. Sharif Shivji QC, barrister specialising in commercial law Why weren’t we taught this at school? introduces Needs Understanding, a fresh approach for finding creative solutions and building relationships at home and at work. It’s based on one simple idea: we’re all on a quest to meet our underlying human needs – such as belonging, knowing we matter, and fun. Whether you are trying to make a tricky decision, communicate more effectively, parent the way you want to, or make a difference in the world, Needs Understanding can help. Understand the ‘fingerprint needs’ that drive your behaviour Discover 10 ways you listen that alienate other people, and what to do instead Stop blaming yourself and others, and fix what’s going on underneath Find creative solutions to difficult problems by ‘walking around the mountain’ Empower yourself to change the world. Alice Sheldon is the creator of Needs Understanding and shares it globally with individuals and organizations. www.needs-understanding.com