Margaret E Anderson
Trainer – Author – Consultant
Specializing in Persuasion, Consensus Building, Communication Skills
Live Training
Our training programs are true workshops with group activities that move participants beyond mere knowledge to hands-on skill.
Ask about our New Distance Training for individuals
Margaret's Books
Learn how women’s status benefits entire societies in Women Can Renew the World If…and So Can You. Enjoy fiction plus communication skills lessons in Love on the Rocks with a Twist. Or turn to Bridges to Consensus for a complete consensus-building system.
Consulting
Consulting is the most efficient way to equip yourself to address specific, real-life concerns. We can focus on a particular project; an individual, such as a coworker; or any situation where you would like to get all you seek without taking away from another.
PERSUASION COACH NEWS SERVICE
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Learn how women’s status benefits entire societies in Women Can Renew the World If…and So Can You. Enjoy fiction plus communication skills lessons in Love on the Rocks with a Twist. Or turn to Bridges to Consensus for a complete consensus-building system.
My latest book has been published and I could not be happier to share this with you!
The heartwarming memoir of an uncommon man with an uncommon life aboard an uncommon ship, USS Vestal, in World War II. Margaret’s dad, William Anderson, naturally practiced some of the skills Margaret teaches. When dealing with a difficult situation, Willie looked around for resources that might help him, just as we do when attempting to reach agreement was someone. In dealing with others, he thought before he spoke, keeping his voice low and respectful.
Willie was running his own successful business when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941. Though concerned about how his business would fare in his absence, he applied for admission to the US Navy the very next day, Dec. 8.
He knew the regimentation of military life would run against his nature. Yet, this resilient man persevered, creatively applying his unique skills and talents to make his life on a Navy service ship stand out. He proved that those peacetime talents were also valuable in war. He could call the Man he saw in the mirror a friend.
The tales Willie later brought home to his children did not feature many battles, but rather, unique experiences. He had a brush with death, not in war, but in boot camp. Natives serenaded him with a tune from home on every Pacific island he visited. He helped save another man’s life while on Shore Patrol duty. He stowed away on an Army plane. He made friends with a future Pulitzer Prize winner. And more.
Learn how women’s status benefits entire societies in Women Can Renew the World If…and So Can You. Enjoy fiction plus communication skills lessons in Love on the Rocks with a Twist. Or turn to Bridges to Consensus for a complete consensus-building system.
Other books I have published
Latest News and Info
Helping Children Build Consensus
Those of you who have followed this blog from its early days, might remember my posting, several years ago, of a real life success story: Consensus Success in a Volunteer Group. Gracie, the lady who shared the story with me, has now reported another success, one in which she helped three children, ranging in age from ten to six years of age, practice consensus building.
Book Excerpt: The Persuasion Power of Paraphrasing
You might imagine that, when I teach a 1.5 hour mini-workshop on persuasion, I would cover the most basic element of my persuasion/consensus building system–uncovering and talking about what’s behind the things people say they want, their ultimate interests. But we require more than 1.5 hr. to assimilate that skill…So for a short persuasion workshop, I focus on one of the persuasion skills I personally use most, such as paraphrasing. Trainees can learn enough from a short session to practice paraphrasing on their own.
Springing Into Fall
Fall weather energizes us to do what we’ve been putting off. Our first cool fronts of the Fall blew through last week. In October on the Gulf Coast, “cool” can mean daily highs in the low 80s or upper 70s (as opposed to 90s). But the second front gave us a low in the 50s. A spurt of energy to catch up on things I’ve been putting off arrived with the front.
Hope for Real Conversations
For talking about touchy topics, complex situations, or emotionally loaded matters, texting is all but hopeless…So you can understand my concern that many young people have grown up texting…However, I recently came across two encouraging reports.
Don’t Shrink Your Brain!
I’m sure no one deliberately sets out to shrink their brain. If anything, most of us want to grow mentally–learn new things, open our minds to different points of view. But did you know that complaining could shrink and rewire your brain, harm your health, and attract more of the very things you complain about into your life?
About Margaret anderson, the Persuasion coach
Trainer, author and consultant Margaret Anderson brings to the table decades of actual use of the interactional skills she teaches, as well as many years of training groups and individuals in consensus building and related communication skills.
A Harvard-trained negotiator (trained under Drs. Roger Fisher and William Ury), Margaret is also trained in general, family and church mediation. From 2002–2014, she regularly designed and taught her own curricula for Rice University’s Glasscock School of Continuing Studies. She has also lectured for the University of Houston and for Texas State University. Prior to launching her training and consulting business, she gained experience in international and domestic business and was instrumental in resolving a number of serious disputes.
Margaret’s writing awards include: First Place in Genre Fiction in the Writers Digest 74th Annual Writing Competition; and First Place for Nonfiction Book in the Houston Writers Conference New Horizons 1997 Manuscript Contest