Over all a very interesting book, if you made it through the first 3 boring chapters!
The book illustrates the influence dynamics and how to change anything. Six different techniques are throughly discussed and illustrated with real life example.
My best part of the book was the chapter that speaks about rewards and an influence technique. The writers of the book – and I agree – suggest that rewards usually back fire and create a negative impact rather than positive impact, unless special considerations are considered. I also liked the part relating of creating vicarious experience through story telling.
The language used in the book is not easy – at least for me! However, if you really would like to create influence, you definitely have to read this book. The final chapters provide hints on how to apply the influence techniques.
Finally, below some of my favorite quotes from the book:
“You say your words, but others hear their words”
“Very often, people become far less willing to believe what you have to say the moment they realize that your goal is to convince them of something”
“You must replace judgement with empathy, and lectures with questions. If you do so, you gain influence”
“We reach our highest level of proficiency after about 50 hours of practice, then our performance skills become automated. We’re able to execute them smoothly and with minimal effort, but further We need to interpret setback as guides and not as brakes”
“It just took one person to turn the tide of compliance”
“It is silence about the norm of silence that sustains the norm. If you can’t talk about it, it will never go away”
“Don’t use incentives to compensate for your failure to engage personal and social motivation”
Ala' Yasin Abuhijleh 