Communication failures are ubiquitous. Exacerbating the situation, much communication advice is superficial, and the vast research base that should inform best practices in communication is difficult to navigate. Beyond the Sage on the Stage translates lessons from carefully documented scholarship into lucid prose with meaningful examples that illustrate readily applicable communication strategies.

This user-friendly guide provides a unique cross-disciplinary approach to developing the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to achieve evolving communication goals. Topics include optimizing language and visuals, designing comparisons, composing logic stories, conveying authenticity, clarifying data and uncertainty, supporting reasoning and decision-making, avoiding backfires, reading body language, and cultivating empathy.

The book is constructed with a clear progression of logic based on a proven educational framework and provides guidance for communication about both uncontroversial and controversial topics. Demonstrating how commonly dispensed communication advice is often counterproductive, Beyond the Sage on the Stage is an innovative toolkit for being understood, fostering trust and genuine connection, and building a foundation for more effective, inclusive communication.

Beyond the Sage on the Stage provides practical, evidence-based communication lessons and debunks often-repeated communication myths.

List of Figures and Tables
Preface
Acknowledgments

Introduction
1. Mapping the Landscape of Audiences, Contexts, and Goals
2. Masterful Use of Words and Images, the Fundamental Tools of the Communication Artisan
3. Metaphors and Analogies: Uncovering How They Frame Thought
4. So We Live in a Snow Globe? Misconception Mishaps and Designing Stories for Learning
5. The Hidden Climb Revealed: Giving Voice to People and Process
6. Negotiating Uncertainty and the Intricacies of Tradeoffs
7. How (Not) to Trigger Audiences’ Decision-Making Survival Tactics
8. Obvious but Wrong: The Perils of the Backfire Effect and Tips to Prevent It
9. Crucial Conversations, Trust, and the Dark Matter of Communication
10. Collecting the Tools into the Toolbox

Summary of Learning Objectives
Notes
References
Index

“Beyond the Sage on the Stage provides an accessible, readable, and wonderfully useful guide to effective communication. The hierarchical organization progresses to successively higher-level goals, and the table of contents makes it easy to find topics of interest and the answers to questions. Seethaler provides many examples illustrating successful and unsuccessful communication, and the book’s exercises will be valuable for those wishing to improve their communication skills. This book is a rich trove of wisdom and belongs on everyone’s bookshelf.”“A vital resource for scientists, educators, and communicators, Seethaler’s book equips you with the tools to engage, inform, and inspire audiences amid today’s scientific complexities. It dispels communication myths and offers a roadmap to navigate challenges, empowering you to communicate science and contemporary issues with clarity and impact.”