Influence:Science and Practice

This summary will examine the psychology of persuasion. What factors cause people to say yes?  Which techniques most effectively use these factors to bring about such compliance?  And why is it that a request stated in a certain way will be rejected, but a request that asks for the same favor in a slightly different manner will be successful?

What factors cause people to say yes? Which techniques most effectively use these factors to bring about such compliance? And why is that a request stated in a certain way will be rejected, but a request that asks for the same favor in a slightly different way will be successful?

In our summary of the new fifth edition of Influence: Science and Practice, by Arizona State University psychology professor Robert B. Cialdini, we’ll examine the psychology of persuasion. Previous editions of Influence have sold more than 1.5 million copies and have made a big impact on business executives.

According to Charles T. Munger, vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, “This will help executives make better decisions and use their influence wisely…. Robert Cialdini has had a greater impact on my thinking on this topic than any other scientist.”

Roger Fisher, the co-author of Getting to Yes and the director of the Harvard Negotiation Project, raves that Influence “offers excellent insights for those who sell, but even more importantly for all of us who negotiate and buy.”

And Tom Peters of the Tom Peters Group raves, “If everything were on the line in a negotiation, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have advising me than Bob Cialdini.”

You may visit the book's website at http://www.influenceatwork.com.