Book excerpt: For managers, talk IS action. This ground-breaking book argues that what senior executives do should rest squarely on what they say. The logical conclusion is that organizations are a network of conversations - between employees, employers, suppliers and customers - the only thing executives can influence is the debate, discussion or dialogue they happen to be in at the moment. The authors explore how twelve global firms have tackled the art and science of strategic conversations and the book contains a range of new tools and techniques for leading effective change and implementing strategy using this philosophy.