--- product_id: 1608709 title: "Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion, Updated Edition" price: "¥3172" currency: JPY in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.jp/products/1608709-verbal-judo-the-gentle-art-of-persuasion-updated-edition store_origin: JP region: Japan --- # Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion, Updated Edition **Price:** ¥3172 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion, Updated Edition - **How much does it cost?** ¥3172 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.jp](https://www.desertcart.jp/products/1608709-verbal-judo-the-gentle-art-of-persuasion-updated-edition) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Verbal Judo is the martial art of the mind and mouth that can show you how to be better prepared in every verbal encounter. This classic guide to essential communication skills teaches you to listen and speak more effectively, engage people through empathy (the most powerful word in the English language), avoid the most common conversational disasters, and use proven de-escalation strategies that allow you to successfully communicate your point of view and take the upper hand in most disputes. This powerful book on the art of persuasion offers a creative look at conflict resolution that will help you defuse confrontations and generate cooperation from your spouse, your boss, and even your teenager. As the author says, "when you react, the event controls you. When you respond, you’re in control." This new edition features a fresh new cover and a foreword demonstrating the legacy of Verbal Judo founder and author George Thompson, as well as a never-before-published final chapter presenting Thompson’s "Five Universal Truths" of human interaction. Inside this essential guide, you’ll discover field-tested tactics for navigating any social situation: Dealing with Difficult People: Learn proven strategies to handle confrontations with your spouse, your boss, your teenager, or anyone, and generate willing cooperation. The Power of Empathy: Master the use of empathy―the single most powerful word in the English language―to absorb tension and build immediate rapport. Respond, Don’t React: Understand the crucial difference between reacting and responding, a mindset shift that puts you in control of any verbal encounter. The Five Universal Truths: Explore the never-before-published final chapter that reveals Dr. Thompson’s core principles of human interaction. Review: Down-to-earth practical and interesting to read - The author compares effective communication with martial arts, particularly judo, and illustrates his points through police stories, which makes the book both useful and interesting to read. Throughout the book are interspersed quotes from Sun-tzu, like "To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the highest skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the highest skill." He distinguishes between 3 kinds of people: the nice, the difficult and the wimp. The nice people will do what you ask them the first time you ask them. They like to cooperate. Difficult people will not do what you tell them the first time you ask. It is their nature that makes them say "Why? What for?" He adds that the 4 most popular questions Americans would ask are "Why?", "Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?", "Where do you get your authority?", and "What's in it for me?" And wimps are the ones who sound like nice people, but are closet difficult people. To your face they say "Oh yes," "I agree," "You're right", but later they get you in the back. Wimps hate authority, but they don't have the guts to challenge you. They want revenge because they feel the need to even the score. The first principle of physical judo is to not resist your opponent. Instead, move with him and redirect his energy - and the communication skills presented in the book follow the same pattern. The author mentions 11 things never to say to anyone (some of these statements may be more applicable to policemen on duty): "Come here!", "You wouldn't understand", "Because those are the rules", "It's none of your business", "What do you want me to do about it?", "Calm down!", "What's your problem?" "You never ..." or "You always ...", "Im not going to say thing again", "I'm doing this for your own good", "Why don't you be reasonable?" He does clearly suggest what you may want to say or do instead, and also what you may want to say or do when someone else says those things to you. The bottom line of communication that reduces conflict and tension is empathy - as in standing in another's shoes and understanding where he's coming from - and communicating with the person in a way that he can relate to. The communication warrior's real service is staying calm in the midst of conflict, deflecting verbal abuse, and offering empathy in the face of antagonism. If you cannot empathize with people, you don't stand a chance of getting them to listen to you. The author points out that we deal with people "under the influence" nearly everyday. If it's not alcohol or drugs, it's frustration, fear, impatience, lack of self-worth, defensiveness, and a host of other influences - and that when we react instead of respond to the challenge, we run the risk of giving the greatest speech we'll ever live to regret, by saying the first thing that naturally comes to our lips. Instead, like a samurai, we must first center ourselves - because if we cannot keep a still center, we cannot stay in control of ourselves or the situation. In this centered state we remain open, flexible, impartial, not biased. To deflect antagonistic behavior, the author shares a selection of "strip phrases", where you let the other person verbally vent, followed by requesting what you need the person to do, as in "'Preciate that, sir, but let me see your license, please." The next technique is "paraphrasing" by saying "Let me be sure I understand you. Let me be sure we're on the same wavelength." and then stating back what the person said, using his key words - as different words have different meaning to different people. The goal of persuasion and the essence of Verbal Judo is to generate voluntary compliance. To execute it, the author suggests a 5 step process: 1. Ask the person what you want him to do If he doesn't comply 2. Set Context by explaining why do you want him to do what you ask of him If he doesn't comply 3. Present Options and point out the consequences of each option, then let him choose If he doesn't comply 4. Confirm their choice by asking "Is there anything I can say or do at this time to earn your cooperation? I'd sure like to think there is." And if he still doesn't comply 5. Act out the consequences of the choice the person made The rest of the book teaches specific skills that help you to improve your ability to communicate and persuade. They begin with knowing yourself and the person you're talking to, using the language and the model of the world of the person you're talking to. The author then shares five basic tools to generate voluntary compliance - listen, empathize, ask, paraphrase, and summarize. You will also find examples of steps to solve domestic disputes, how to effectively criticize, how to obtain compliance through praise. The author has provided examples both from police stories and those related to civilian issues. Review: Great book - What I love most about Verbal Judo is its practical approach. It doesn’t just tell you what to say, but it explains why certain phrases work and how to maintain control of the conversation without escalating tension. The concept of using empathy and respect to deflect verbal attacks is both powerful and effective. The techniques are easy to understand and apply, making it possible to see immediate improvements in how you handle conflicts. The author, a former English professor and police officer, blends his experiences to offer a unique perspective on communication. His anecdotes and real-life examples make the book not only informative but also engaging. You don’t need to be in law enforcement to benefit from this book; its lessons are universal and can be applied in professional settings, personal relationships, and even with strangers. If you’re looking to enhance your ability to navigate difficult conversations with tact and confidence, Verbal Judo is a must-read. It’s a guide to not just winning arguments, but to creating positive outcomes in every interaction. Highly recommended! Feel free to adjust the review to better match your personal experience or style! ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #8,848 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #1 in Health Law #3 in Speech #8 in Educational Psychology (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 4,644 Reviews | ## Images ![Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion, Updated Edition - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/610FeJtesFL.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Language, Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Down-to-earth practical and interesting to read *by L***O on February 6, 2013* The author compares effective communication with martial arts, particularly judo, and illustrates his points through police stories, which makes the book both useful and interesting to read. Throughout the book are interspersed quotes from Sun-tzu, like "To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the highest skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the highest skill." He distinguishes between 3 kinds of people: the nice, the difficult and the wimp. The nice people will do what you ask them the first time you ask them. They like to cooperate. Difficult people will not do what you tell them the first time you ask. It is their nature that makes them say "Why? What for?" He adds that the 4 most popular questions Americans would ask are "Why?", "Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?", "Where do you get your authority?", and "What's in it for me?" And wimps are the ones who sound like nice people, but are closet difficult people. To your face they say "Oh yes," "I agree," "You're right", but later they get you in the back. Wimps hate authority, but they don't have the guts to challenge you. They want revenge because they feel the need to even the score. The first principle of physical judo is to not resist your opponent. Instead, move with him and redirect his energy - and the communication skills presented in the book follow the same pattern. The author mentions 11 things never to say to anyone (some of these statements may be more applicable to policemen on duty): "Come here!", "You wouldn't understand", "Because those are the rules", "It's none of your business", "What do you want me to do about it?", "Calm down!", "What's your problem?" "You never ..." or "You always ...", "Im not going to say thing again", "I'm doing this for your own good", "Why don't you be reasonable?" He does clearly suggest what you may want to say or do instead, and also what you may want to say or do when someone else says those things to you. The bottom line of communication that reduces conflict and tension is empathy - as in standing in another's shoes and understanding where he's coming from - and communicating with the person in a way that he can relate to. The communication warrior's real service is staying calm in the midst of conflict, deflecting verbal abuse, and offering empathy in the face of antagonism. If you cannot empathize with people, you don't stand a chance of getting them to listen to you. The author points out that we deal with people "under the influence" nearly everyday. If it's not alcohol or drugs, it's frustration, fear, impatience, lack of self-worth, defensiveness, and a host of other influences - and that when we react instead of respond to the challenge, we run the risk of giving the greatest speech we'll ever live to regret, by saying the first thing that naturally comes to our lips. Instead, like a samurai, we must first center ourselves - because if we cannot keep a still center, we cannot stay in control of ourselves or the situation. In this centered state we remain open, flexible, impartial, not biased. To deflect antagonistic behavior, the author shares a selection of "strip phrases", where you let the other person verbally vent, followed by requesting what you need the person to do, as in "'Preciate that, sir, but let me see your license, please." The next technique is "paraphrasing" by saying "Let me be sure I understand you. Let me be sure we're on the same wavelength." and then stating back what the person said, using his key words - as different words have different meaning to different people. The goal of persuasion and the essence of Verbal Judo is to generate voluntary compliance. To execute it, the author suggests a 5 step process: 1. Ask the person what you want him to do If he doesn't comply 2. Set Context by explaining why do you want him to do what you ask of him If he doesn't comply 3. Present Options and point out the consequences of each option, then let him choose If he doesn't comply 4. Confirm their choice by asking "Is there anything I can say or do at this time to earn your cooperation? I'd sure like to think there is." And if he still doesn't comply 5. Act out the consequences of the choice the person made The rest of the book teaches specific skills that help you to improve your ability to communicate and persuade. They begin with knowing yourself and the person you're talking to, using the language and the model of the world of the person you're talking to. The author then shares five basic tools to generate voluntary compliance - listen, empathize, ask, paraphrase, and summarize. You will also find examples of steps to solve domestic disputes, how to effectively criticize, how to obtain compliance through praise. The author has provided examples both from police stories and those related to civilian issues. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great book *by S***Y on August 31, 2024* What I love most about Verbal Judo is its practical approach. It doesn’t just tell you what to say, but it explains why certain phrases work and how to maintain control of the conversation without escalating tension. The concept of using empathy and respect to deflect verbal attacks is both powerful and effective. The techniques are easy to understand and apply, making it possible to see immediate improvements in how you handle conflicts. The author, a former English professor and police officer, blends his experiences to offer a unique perspective on communication. His anecdotes and real-life examples make the book not only informative but also engaging. You don’t need to be in law enforcement to benefit from this book; its lessons are universal and can be applied in professional settings, personal relationships, and even with strangers. If you’re looking to enhance your ability to navigate difficult conversations with tact and confidence, Verbal Judo is a must-read. It’s a guide to not just winning arguments, but to creating positive outcomes in every interaction. Highly recommended! Feel free to adjust the review to better match your personal experience or style! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Heard about this book *by R***T on July 23, 2026* I've always heard of this book and wanted to see what it had to say and it actually helped me when I have disagreement pretty good read ## Frequently Bought Together - Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion, Updated Edition - What Every Body Is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People - The 15 Fundamental Laws of De-escalation: How To Put Out Fires, Not Start Them --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.jp/products/1608709-verbal-judo-the-gentle-art-of-persuasion-updated-edition](https://www.desertcart.jp/products/1608709-verbal-judo-the-gentle-art-of-persuasion-updated-edition) --- *Product available on Desertcart Japan* *Store origin: JP* *Last updated: 2026-10-06*