The Art of Subtle Suggestion Examples: Proven Language for Common Challenging, Difficult, and Uncomfortable Conversations
by Steven Nathenson
The Art of Subtle Suggestion Examples gives you practical, proven language for the challenging, difficult, and uncomfortable conversations most people avoid, delay, or stumble through.
Written as a companion resource to The Art of Subtle Suggestion, this book gives readers real-world examples they can return to again and again when they need the right words for high-stakes conversations at work, at home, and in daily life.
Inside, Steven Nathenson provides clear examples for conversations involving:
- Performance improvement plans and action plans
- Giving feedback without creating defensiveness
- Holding people accountable
- Managing conflict between employees
- Communicating during change
- Setting boundaries
- Saying no professionally
- Addressing burnout
- Handling broken promises
- Talking to executives
- Career growth conversations
- Difficult leadership and employee communication moments
Whether you are a manager, team leader, employee, coach, business owner, HR professional, spouse, parent, or friend, this book helps you approach hard conversations with more comfort, clarity, and confidence.
The book is built around language that helps reduce tension, create psychological safety, and keep conversations productive. The examples are designed to be adapted to your voice, your situation, and the person in front of you.
If you have ever thought:
I don’t know how to say this.
I need to address this, but I don’t want to make things worse.
I wish I had the right words before this conversation starts.
This book was written for you.
The Art of Subtle Suggestion Examples is a practical communication guide for anyone who wants to handle hard conversations with more skill, care, and control.
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Steven Nathenson
Author
Steven helps people communicate subtly suggestively and master their mindsets to increase their focus, confidence, and performance. He began his career as an engineer in the energy sector and went on to become a special agent with the FBI. After a successful career with the FBI, Steven took his passion for helping others into the world of coaching. Since that time, he has worked with hundreds of individuals in 172+ companies and 20 countries (as of the publishing date) within, including but not limited to, the business services, education, energy, finance, government, manufacturing, media, retail, science and technology, and telecommunication sectors.
Steven holds two master’s degrees in mechanical engineering and organizational development and leadership. He’s received two United States patents for his work as an engineer and five awards for his investigative work as a special agent. He’s also an avid triathlete and Ironman. However, his greatest achievements lie in the success he helps others achieve.
Life has taught him that people are at the heart of everything, and by taking a human approach, we can make our goals and desires a reality. This lesson forms the very core of his trademarked evidence-based coaching philosophy of G.R.I.T. – Give, Recognize, Implement, Time®, which centers around developing individuals and organizations through mental mastery and core components of human nature.
