Communication is the key to beginning and maintaining healthy relationships of any kind. Those who master the art of communication will unlock doors that lead to new opportunities in virtually every area of daily life. This is one fact that failed to elude author Steve Nakomoto, as demonstrated in his latest book: Talk Like a Winner! 21 Simple Rules for Achieving Everyday Communication Success.

Also known as “Mr. Answer Man” on the dating and relationship forums at iVillage.com and having previously written two relationship books, Dating Rocks and Men Are Like Fish, Mr. Nakomoto has plenty of experience when it comes to offering valuable advice, particularly when it comes to helping people improve the way in which they interact with others. Nakomoto does a phenomenal job of capturing his readers’ attention early on in the book. He begins by exploring the differences between private and public speaking, suggesting that enhancing private speaking skills will inevitably lead to improved performance in the public speaking arena as well. He then goes on to connect with readers on a personal level by describing his own experiences with communication problems, many of which were humiliating and all of which contributed to his current expertise as a public speaker.

The book has a total of 21 chapters in all, one dedicated to each of his suggested rules for achieving communication success. Each chapter opens with an illustration followed by a quote and then a dictionary-style definition of the word that represents the corresponding rule. The definitions are followed by a brief motivational paragraph indicating that you, as the reader, are another step closer to unleashing the winner within. Mr. Nakamoto illustrates his point by providing readers with several examples that virtually anyone can relate to in one way or another. He goes further by offering suggestions for ways to implement each rule and even assigns small tasks that the reader can choose to complete in order to practice the skills that are being taught along with that rule. A brief summary titled, “The Bottom Line” is used to conclude each chapter and offer additional motivation.

Talk Like A Winner! is truly a self-help gem that will help readers to develop the skills and self-confidence needed to find genuine communication success. It explains the importance of being able to communicate well with others, walks readers through every step of the communication process, and provides real world advice on how to improve personal communication skills. Being able to communicate effectively and confidently will inevitably help singles to score more dates and achieve more positive dating results, which is why I think this book is absolutely a must-have for any player in the dating game.