Communication for Beginners [Book Introduction]

Good morning. This is Momotaro.

Recently, there is a channel I have been watching on YouTube called

“A show where Unjash Watabe goes on location hunts, dreaming of one day appearing on a terrestrial gourmet program”

.

This is a program where Ken Watabe, from the comedy duo 'Unjash' who caused a scandal due to an affair in 2020, goes on location hunts at restaurants without appointments, dreaming of returning to terrestrial television.

At first, I even thought,“He was the source of such a scandal, yet he is still clinging to his entertainment career; it's unsightly.” However, I have become completely captivated by the remorse he shows in the program and the cheerful way the staff supports him.

Although it was his own doing, why are there so many people supporting Watabe, who fell into a situation that could be called fatal for an entertainer? Why is it that no one speaks ill of him (not on the internet, but among those close to him)?

Perhaps it is because his usual way of interacting with people is wonderful, meaning he has excellent communication skills.

I picked up the book I am introducing today to try and unravel that mystery.

“Super First-Class Conversational Ability”

Author: Ken Watabe Publisher: Kizuna Publishing
Release Date: November 4, 2022

This book was written about two years after Watabe caused his scandal.

Watabe has published other practical books on communication since this one, but there were criticisms such as,“What face do you have to write a book like this?” It is certainly understandable why people would say that.

Even so, the book was published because the publisher, having heard rumors about Watabe's lectures which were well-regarded at the time, made an offer, and even though Watabe himself firmly declined, they persisted and managed to get it published.

As for the actual content, this book can truly be called a guide to conversational techniques for communication beginners.

The reason is that Watabe, who is not a scholar or a writer, writes in a way that is very easy to understand without any difficult language.

To summarize the explained content extremely simply:

1. What is important in conversation is the ability to 'listen' to the other person
: This is said in every book on communication. As someone who is bad at communicating, I tend to get impatient and talk too much.

2. Be interested in the other person
: To 'listen' to the story, you need to be interested in the other person and dig deeper into the conversation.

3. Wear a positive and bright atmosphere, and react appropriately
: Anyone would be happy if someone listened to them eagerly, saying, 'Your story is very interesting. I want to hear more!' It is even better if you have reactions like nodding that are not excessive.

4. Ask questions while complimenting
: You feel disappointed when you get negative reactions like 'But' or 'That's wrong,' don't you?

5. Learn from and remember everything the other person says
: Even in a conversation with someone you dislike or are not good with, there should be something you can gain. If there is absolutely nothing to gain, let's use them as a cautionary tale.

That is all.

It is easy to get into because it is explained step-by-step while giving examples of entertainers.

The content of this book might feel familiar to those who read a lot of books.

This is because it gathers the content of various communication guidebooks overflowing in the market and summarizes them with Mr. Watanabe's own experiences mixed in.

However, personally, I think that for those just starting to learn communication skills, a book written this simply and accessibly is easier to get into.

Since it was written by someone who caused quite a stir with a major scandal, there will naturally be pros and cons...

If you can look past that, I think it is a good book to learn important techniques for having conversations and enjoying communication.

It is a quick read, so you likely won't end up just letting it pile up.

That is all. Today, I introduced a book recommended for those struggling with communication.

Have a great day today as well.