Customer Reviews

The Art of Influence: Persuading Others Begins With You

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Read THE ART OF INFLUENCE by Chris Widener . . . it is a short
but powerful parable about a recent college graduate who learns valuable
lessons from one of the country's wealthiest men.

What made it so good was the fact that I really cared about the
characters . . . they were believable, and their stories were
interesting too.

I also liked how the author revealed each of the four key principles via
discussions that seemed as if they actually happened . . . such as this
one, involving a successful baseball manager, who advises:

* Don't forget the power we have to influence ourselves. When you make
a mistake you should never start telling yourself negative things.
Those negative words produce negative thoughts and actions. For us, it
is a player who strikes out and then tells himself he can't hit in the clutch.
Guess what happens? From that point on, he can't hit in the clutch. For your
situation it may be a person who botches a presentation and then tells herself
that she can't speak in front of others. She'll never move up because she
can't lead from the front of the room. Negative words produce results. So
I teach people how to take control of their minds and thoughts and the words
they say to themselves."

Then there was this equally significant tidbit about how one of the character's
daughters increased her income by just applying another of the principles:

* "For the first few weeks she was bringing home about twenty-five dollars
a day in tips. But then all of a sudden her tips jumped significantly, up
to nearly seventy-five dollars on many days. Obviously, I wanted to know
what was going on. She said, 'I finally figured people out.' Well, I wanted to
know what the new insight was. 'Dad,' she said, 'people love to talk about
themselves! I used to just make their coffee and not say much. Now I ask
them all kinds of questions about themselves.' That was it. By getting
people to talk to her about their lives she was subconsciously influencing
them to tip her more."

And, lastly, I liked this bit of advice that was given that all employees
should take to heart:

* "Excellence is something we practice in even the smallest details.
You know, when I am walking through one of my properties, if I see
a small scrap of paper on the floor, I personally stop and pick it up.
I don't go to the manager and have him or her get someone to do it.
I do it myself. And do you know what happens?"

"What?"

"My staff sees that even the small details matters to me. They get it. They
see that I lead by example. It inspires them to pay attention to even the
smallest details too. Excellence in everything we do is what makes guys
like Bobby and me so influential."

As you can see, none of the above is particularly profound . . . but it
all makes sense--a lot of sense.

By the way, in case you're wondering, here are the four principles
to increase influence:

Live a life of undivided integrity.

Always demonstrate a positive attitude.

Consider other people's interests as more important than your own.

Don't settle for anything less than excellence.

Read the book, and you'll find a lot more about each one . . . you'll
be glad that you did.

This is an excellent book for people who do not want a lot of detail. The use of a story about a real person is an effective way to commnuicate his points about what it takes to become more successful. This would be an excellent book to give a recent college graduate as a present.

After How to Measure Anything: Finding the Value of "Intangibles" in Business and Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions, Widener's book is among my favorite about the topic of influence (but Widener should have read the first two). Although I'm not given to reading "inspirational" books (the other two titles are in the realm of scientific inquiry) I found it a useful and entertaining look at what drives and motivates us.

I'm more inclined to ask Widener "How can you say that works better, on average, than an alternative?" then perhaps many readers of inspirational books. The experience of a single person, no matter how moving, can only tell us so much. But, again, it worked for me.

I had a lot of trouble with this one. The idea of creating a business book using a parable-like story is interesting but I found the writing flat. The characters are all what you'd expect--Grandma smells 'like flowers' and the main character's brother is 'all about the food.' None of the characters rang true to me--after putting the book down, there's not much to take away. I agree with the premise that success 'begins with you' but there's nothing here that hasn't been written somewhere elsewhere and better. The book is short, concise, and well organized. It is an easy, if very cliched, read. But don't expect too much.

I first became aware of author and motivational teacher and speaker Chris Widener last year. I instantly became a fan of his teaching style, his values, and the way he uses language and stories to get accross his powerful messages. Chris Widener delivers his insights in a way that is straightforward and simple, without being simplistic. He is clear and compelling, and his insightful content is both strong and accessible. In "The Art of Influence" Widener employs an engaging story to convey, "The Four Golden Rules of Influence." These are: "Live a life of individual integrity;" "Always demonstrate a positive attitude;" "Consider other peoples' interests as more important than your own;" and "Don't settle for anything less than excellence."

Chris Widener is a keen observer of human nature, an expert on the essential elements of "success," and is a master at offering growth opportunities through teachings that inform and inspire. His insights can enrich your life and empower your business. As an Internet marketing mentor and coach, I find his material personally enlivening and recommend his work to everyone on my team. I believe anyone truly interested in personal growth and the value of new insights will benefit from his writings.

I've read quite a few books on self development, with Leadership and Self Deception being one of my favorites due its story-like setting. Having stumbled across The Art of Influence, I was thrilled it taught business and life principles in the same format! Great book, very relaxing read and sound, applicable principles. Well worth the short read.

"The kind of person you are is what determines your influence, which in turn is what determines your success," according to Chris Widener in this book. The book is a "parable", in which a highly successful business person explains to a young protege in words and by actions what "influence" is and how you can get it. It is a short book at 106 pages with only 24-25 lines per page, but it is quite engaging and I had no trouble in reading it in one sitting.

The hero of the book is the tenth richest man in America, a flamboyant and self-confident character of the type which Americans are much prone to admiring, predictably named "Bobby Gold". However, once you have got over the implication that ostentatious wealth is a primary indicator of a person with highly refined leadership skills, the actual principles of influence espoused in the book are quite interesting. These are: Live a life of undivided integrity; Always demonstrate a positive attitude; Consider other people's interests as more important than your own; and Don't settle for anything less than excellence.

In my view these are sound principles, although many influential people don't seem to follow them. The ostentatious wealth displayed by Bobby Gold in the story arguably is incompatible with the third principle. The principles seem to apply for a person who is influential in a good way. A person who is influential in a bad way might replace the principles with: Live a life of undivided ambition; Always demonstrate a determined attitude; Tell other people that you are considering their interests; and Don't settle for anything less than what you want.

The Art of Influence is heartwarming and inspiring book intended to encourage you to challenge yourself and become the best you can be. While most books on business relate to developing skills, the author feels that what's missing are books related to developing one's character, and character development is the focus of this book.

And while Cialdini's book on influence deals with psychological traits that influence human behavior, and what will make others act in different ways, the author of this book would define that as "persuasion", and reserves the term "infuence" for how you infuence others by who you are as a human being.

Through a parable, this book teaches four lessons of influence:
1. Live a life of undivided integrity
2. Always demonstrate a positive attitude
3. Consider other people's interests as more important than your own
4. Don't settle for anything less than excellence

Even though the focus of this parable are billionaires, this book will most likely appeal primarily to people who want to grow spiritually, and not just materially. It encourages you to keep on working on yourself and strive to be your best and do your best whatever comes your way.

If you're looking for the "science" and technical know-how of influence then this is probably not the best book for you.

If you are looking for a short read/listen that makes you feel good and gives you the short and sweet of influence, then this is a must. People may proclaim that the story is unrealistic or fantasy... and it absolutely is! However, the moral of the story is sound and it delivers personal development in a different way that's designed to make you feel good while you soak up the valuable lessons.

I will definitely be listening to this again.

Fast and fun read. Finished in 90 minutes. Chris delights in a short story narrative the FOUR GOLDEN RULES OF INFLUENCE. And getting what you want in life starts with how you treat others. This should be taught in business schools.