Instant Persuasion [Hardcover]

Laurie Puhn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 13, 2005

Thirty-five fast, simple rules that will improve the way you communicate and change your life!

Instant Persuasion is a unique communication book that offers a creative way to reduce stress, resolve conflict, and enrich our relationships with family members, friends, and coworkers. Laurie Puhn cleverly translates complex mediation skills into simple, practical communication rules that readers can easily apply during everyday situations to instantly persuade others to listen to, cooperate with, respect, and like them. The rules are revealed through real-life anecdotes that show readers how to say the right words at the right time to convince others to give them what they want.

Some Instant Persuasion rules include how to:

- Find factual solutions.
- Be a problem solver.
- Disagree without being disagreeable.
- Beware of uncomplimentary compliments.
- Avoid superficial offers.

Puhn presents readers with a script that will allow them to smoothly implement these rules in everyday life and change the way they communicate forever. Instant Persuasion is an amazing tool that has the power to transform friendships, marriages, and careers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Good communication skills help create positive interactions with others, says Puhn: "[W]ords instantly create resentment and conflict or support and cooperation," as the author, a lawyer and mediator, has learned from experience. This helpful book encapsulates these simple yet timeless ideas into 35 pairs of "Do" and "Don't" rules, useful in work and in life. A straightforward explanation of the rule - e.g., "avoid superficial offers"; "show you care"; "appreciate criticism" - is followed by illustrative tales of communication gone wrong or exemplars of effective ways to apply the rule. While the structure of the chapters is tedious and predictable, the text flows easily. Puhn clearly identifies "blunders" and "wonders" of communication, which will help those who want to use the book as a reference rather than read it straight through. In truth, several of the guidelines she offers are either common sense or just good manners - e.g., "hold your tongue"; "don't take sides" - but many readers will appreciate this refresher course in how to be polite without being a doormat. For anyone needing a reminder of some essential communication guidelines, this volume is essential.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

Instant Persuasion puts values into action. Laurie's message is right on target for success in business and life in general... -- Greg Carr, former chair of Prodigy Internet, co-founder of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University

Her brilliant balance of anecdotes and analysis makes this...book a must for anyone who wants to change minds... -- Alan Dershowitz, Harvard University Professor of Law, and author of Rights From Wrongs

If you want to communicate better within your friendships, marriages and careers, this book is a must read. -- Monsignor Thomas J. Hartman and Rabbi Marc A. Gellman, co-hosts of the television show, The God Squad

Laurie Puhn's book, Instant Persuasion, provides a practical roadmap to successful communications. -- Robin Wagner, 2002 Figure Skating Coach of the Year

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Tarcher/Penguin (January 13, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585423238
• ISBN-13: 978-1585423231
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #450,876 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Harvard-educated attorney and couples mediator Laurie Puhn has a private practice in New York City. She is an author, national speaker, Huffington Post blogger and television personality, who has appeared on Good Morning America, Weekend Today Show, The CBS Early Show, Good Day New York, Fox News Channel, Imus in the Morning.

Laurie's newest book is a national bestseller. "Fight Less, Love More: 5-Minute Conversations to Change Your Relationship without Blowing Up or Giving In" received rave reviews from readers and leading reviewers including Publishers Weekly. Her first book, "Instant Persuasion: How to Change Your Words to Change Your Life," was nominated for Best Motivational Book of 2005 by the MS Society's Books for a Better Life Awards Program. It is a Book-of-the-Month Club and Literary Guild selection. Laurie interactive website is www.fightlesslovemore.com. Follow her on twitter @lauriepuhn

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a good book . . ., February 24, 2005

By 

Bert Krages (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Instant Persuasion (Hardcover)

. . . only if you'll miss of frustration of being stonewalled or the sting of litigation. In my legal practice I run into countless clients whose problems could have been easily and quickly resolved had they treated the other parties with respect and empathetic communication. Too many people think that anger, put downs, unreasonable demands, and exasperation are the ways to convince other people to see things their way. Although commonsense tells you that this isn't true, the numerous examples in this book reveal the subtle ways that most people fall into at least a few communication traps. This is a more a book about respectful communication than on how to persuade people but it has very valuable content that can be applied to resolve common kinds of disputes that don't really justify spending large sums on legal fees.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, June 20, 2005

By 

Julie, a reader (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Instant Persuasion (Hardcover)

Instant Persuasion is a great tool for couples to improve their communication. I shared the book with my husband and we both starting using the communication rules together. Out of the 35 rules, my favorite ones are "Spread Gossip," "Hold Your Tongue," "Get a Green Light," and "Disagree Without Being Disagreeable" and "Punch with a Smile." I wish we had this book years ago. We would have avoided so many arguments! My husband and I discuss the rules over dinner and we've had a lot of fun using them. They open the door to better communication and respectful conversation. If you want to quickly improve your relationship, this book is for you!

28 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I was surprised by how good this is, January 15, 2005

By 

Joe Vitale "Author of way too many books to l... (Wimberley, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Instant Persuasion (Hardcover)

I didn't think anything else could be written about persuasion and influence, so you can imagine how skeptical I was when I picked up "Instant Persuasion" by Laurie Puhn, a lawyer in New York City. Boy, was I wrong. I opened it to the chapter called "Rule 10: Beware of Uncomplimentary Compliments." These are compliments that most of us say without thinking. For example, "Your face looks thin with that new hairdo" isn't a compliment. It's an insult. It's saying, "You have a fat face."
There are 35 eye-opening rules in this engaging, highly readable, enjoyable, and educational book. It's mademe more aware of how I (and others) communicate. I strongly suggest you get this one.