Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
BIFF summary
Brief summary
BIFF by Bill Eddy is a practical guide that teaches readers how to effectively communicate with difficult people. It provides strategies for managing high-conflict personalities and minimizing conflict in personal and professional relationships.
Table of Contents
BIFF
Summary of key ideas
The Art of BIFF: Handling High Conflict Personalities
In BIFF, Bill Eddy introduces us to the concept of high conflict personalities (HCPs) and how to communicate with them effectively. Eddy, a lawyer, therapist, and mediator, has extensive experience dealing with individuals exhibiting HCP traits. He uses his expertise to provide a practical guide to managing and reducing conflict with such individuals.
Eddy begins by defining HCPs as people who exhibit extreme behaviour patterns, such as all-or-nothing thinking, unmanaged emotions, extreme behaviours, and preoccupation with blaming others. He explains how these individuals can turn even the simplest of disagreements into prolonged, bitter disputes. He also highlights the challenges of communicating with such people, mainly due to their inability to take responsibility for their actions.
The author then introduces the BIFF method, an acronym for Brief, Informative, Friendly, and Firm. The BIFF method is a communication strategy designed to manage conflict and reduce emotional stress when dealing with HCPs. Eddy explains each component of the BIFF method and provides real-life examples to illustrate its effectiveness.
Implementing the BIFF Method
Subsequently, Eddy delves into the practical application of the BIFF method. He demonstrates how to use BIFF in different forms of communication, such as email, text messages, social media, and letters. He emphasizes the importance of keeping communication brief, informative, friendly, and firm to prevent escalating conflicts and to protect oneself from potential aggression or manipulation.
Throughout the book, Eddy provides numerous examples of BIFF responses, explaining the rationale behind each choice of words. He also addresses common challenges individuals face when dealing with HCPs, such as managing personal emotions and setting boundaries. Eddy suggests that by employing the BIFF method, individuals can maintain their dignity and reduce the likelihood of being drawn into unnecessary conflict.
BIFF in Practice: Real-Life Scenarios
In the latter part of BIFF, Eddy presents a series of real-life scenarios involving HCPs. He illustrates how the BIFF method can be applied in these situations to de-escalate conflict and prevent further hostility. These scenarios cover a wide range of relationships and settings, including family, work, and legal disputes, demonstrating the universal applicability of the BIFF method.
In conclusion, Eddy reiterates the significance of understanding and managing high conflict personalities. He emphasizes that while it may not be possible to change the behaviour of HCPs, individuals can learn to communicate with them effectively using the BIFF method. By doing so, they can avoid being drawn into unnecessary conflicts and maintain their emotional well-being. In summary, BIFF is a comprehensive guide for anyone dealing with high conflict personalities, offering practical strategies for effective communication and conflict management.
How do we create content on this page?
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is BIFF about?
BIFF by Bill Eddy provides practical strategies for managing communication with difficult people. Using the BIFF method (Brief, Informative, Friendly, and Firm), the book teaches readers how to respond to high-conflict individuals in a way that reduces conflict and promotes positive outcomes. It is a valuable resource for anyone dealing with challenging relationships in their personal or professional life.
BIFF Review
BIFF (2014) by Bill Eddy is a valuable resource for understanding and managing high-conflict personalities. Here's why this book is a great read:
- Provides insightful strategies for navigating difficult relationships and conflict resolution in professional and personal settings.
- Utilizes real-life scenarios to illustrate key points, making the content relatable and practical for everyday use.
- Offers a refreshing perspective on dealing with challenging individuals, ensuring the material remains engaging and incredibly useful.
Who should read BIFF?
Individuals who want to improve their communication skills
Professionals dealing with difficult or high-conflict personalities
Parents co-parenting with a difficult ex-partner
Categories with BIFF
Book summaries like BIFF
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
33 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
BIFF FAQs
What is the main message of BIFF?
Handling high-conflict people with a BIFF response leads to better communication and conflict resolution.
How long does it take to read BIFF?
Reading time for BIFF varies, but the Blinkist summary can be read quickly.
Is BIFF a good book? Is it worth reading?
BIFF is a practical guide for dealing with conflict effectively, making it a valuable read for personal growth.
Who is the author of BIFF?
The author of BIFF is Bill Eddy.
What to read after BIFF?
If you're wondering what to read next after BIFF, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Coaching for Performance by Sir John Whitmore
- Influence by Robert B. Cialdini
- The Pyramid Principle by Barbara Minto
- Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
- The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs by Carmine Gallo
- Selling the Invisible by Harry Beckwith
- You Can Negotiate Anything by Herb Cohen
- Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi
- Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff
- Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher, William Ury & Bruce Patton