People Smart: Powerful Techniques for Turning Every Encounter into a Mutual Win [Paperback]

Tony Alessandra (Author), Anthony Alessandra (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1995

Imagine... When you encounter difficult people - you know how to adapt to them. Where you meet challenging situations - you have the skills transform them. In times when you face the unknown - you remain fearless. If you dream of all that and more... then PeopleSmart is the book you need. PeopleSmart is a unique blend of scientific research on human behavior and my 30-plus years of teaching people smarts - through the Platinum Rule. Once you've been exposed to these hands-on, proven and practical principles, you'll find that you will have access to uncommon wisdom allowing you to: *Become a more loved and effective boss *Gain effortless cooperation of even the most difficult people *Fascinate and influence your spouse and children *Build quick rapport that creates life long relationships *Get along with all types of people from every walk of life Curious about how PeopleSmart achieves all this? Well, here's its secret formula... Ever wondered why your natural behavior sometimes seems to alienate people? It is because that same behavior may not be natural for others. You know in your heart - you have the highest intentions. If you want to get along with your colleagues, employees, bosses, friends, and family, it's essential to become aware of your natural tendencies - and their natural preferences! Here is the key... You must learn to determine and distinguish the four major behavioral styles. PeopleSmart shows you how do this, by helping you to learn about your own style first, then showing you quick and easy ways to identify the styles of others. Finally, you learn how to adjust your behavior so that you become versatile, adaptable and widely popular. It gets even better. Learn to apply PeopleSmart and soon you unconsciously begin to draw out the best in everyone around you. You notice how easy it becomes for you to gain the trust and respect of even the most cynical people you meet. PeopleSmart is very easy to read, and simple to adapt. Here is what you get: Part One "Understanding People Smarts" contains four powerful chapters that help you to identify and better deal with virtually everyone. In "The Platinum Rule," I teach you more about treating others the way they want to be treated, not the way you want to be treated -without being phony or underhanded. In "I Know Who You Are, But What Am I?", I describe each behavioral style and help you determine which one you are. Next, I assist you to identify other people's natural styles. The "Adaptability" chapter includes both versatility and flexibility characteristics and helps you determine how adaptable you are in life's varying situations. Part Two deals with "Workplace Applications." The three chapters here focus on getting along with everyone on the job, leadership styles, and how to sell and deliver quality service with style. In Part Three, we delve into "Personal Applications." In this three chapter section, I walk you through the social scene and how to get along better with friends. Then we cover dealing with your family-- your significant others and children. Finally, we focus on Romance! Romance! and how to dating and romance issues much more effectively. This is a reader-friendly book. You can use and reuse it as a constant companion to consult when dealing with difficult people and stressful situations. PeopleSmart gives you the tools to get what you want in various work situations and equips you with the power and knowledge to cash in on these insights through more positive and productive exchanges with others. You can realistically take charge of improving all your work relationships and this book shows how.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. Tony Alessandra helps companies build customers, relationships, and the bottom line. Companies learn how to achieve market dominance through specific strategies designed to outmarket, outsell, and outservice the competition. Dr. Alessandra has a street-wise, college-smart perspective on business, having fought his way out of NYC to eventually realize success as a graduate professor of marketing, entrepreneur, business author, and keynote speaker. He earned his MBA from the University of Connecticut – and his PhD in marketing from Georgia State University. Dr. Alessandra is president of Online Assessments, a company that offers online multi-rater assessments and tests; co-founder of MentorU.com, an online e-learning company; and Chairman of the Board of BrainX, a company that offers online digital accelerated-learning programs. Dr. Alessandra is a widely-published author with 14 books translated into 17 foreign languages, including Charisma (Warner Books, 1998); The Platinum Rule (Warner Books, 1996); Collaborative Selling (John Wiley & Sons, 1993); and Communicating at Work (Fireside/Simon & Schuster, 1993). He is featured in over 50 audio/video programs and films, including Relationship Strategies (American Media); The Dynamics of Effective Listening (Nightingale-Conant); and Non-Manipulative Selling (Walt Disney). Recognized by Meetings & Conventions Magazine as “one of America’s most electrifying speakers,” Dr. Alessandra was inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame in 1985, and is a member of the Speakers Roundtable, a group of 20 of the world’s top professional speakers. Tony's polished style, powerful message, and proven ability as a consummate business strategist consistently earns rave reviews.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction

If you're like most people, you want to improve your interactions with others. This book shows you a simple, yet proven, way to positively influence others.

The purpose of People Smarts is threefold: to give you a conscious awareness of what people do, to help you predict what people are likely to do and why they do it, and to accept yourself and others as worthwhile so you can adapt and successfully relate. Managers want to know how to maximize productivity and efficiency from their staff, salespeople need to build better rapport with customers, employees want to get along with their peers and managers. Those in helping professions want to provide better care for their patients and clients. Parents want to relate well with their children-and vice versa. In short, virtually everyone is fascinated with making their working and living relationships better.

People Smarts will not only help you become a better you, it will help you behave more maturely and productively by teaching you how to focus on your goals instead of your fears. Then you can develop and use more of your natural strengths, while recognizing, improving upon, and modifying your weaknesses. This book does not deal with values or judgments. Instead, we concentrate on individuals' needs and fears-our natural tendencies that cause us to do the things we do.

Every person has his or her own special way of doing things and an identifiable and predictable behavioral type. Behavioral type is a pattern, or group of recurring habits, resulting from the way you typically do things-the way you deal with people and situations. It's your comfortable method of behaving, most of the time, when you relax and just act yourself.

Often, when we do what comes naturally we alienate others without realizing it. Why? Because that same behavior may not be natural for them. If we want to get along with our colleagues, employees, bosses, friends, and families, it's essential we become aware of our natural tendencies-and their natural preferences! Then we can defuse extreme behaviors before we sabotage ourselves. We do this by temporarily using behavioral modification to change only our own behavior so the other person feels comfortable. When this happens, tension lessens and cooperation zooms.

Your technique of interacting with people succeeds when you receive and heed their external signals; it fails when you ignore and cross them. Of course, everyone experiences the same basic human needs, but each of us ranks some needs higher than others.

When you understand something about your own habitual style and how it differs from others' styles, you can modify your approach to get on the same wavelength with them. The ideas you present don't change. But you can change the way you present those ideas. And people will teach you how to treat them if you're willing to discover their unique signals.

For example, one type of person measures his success by results. He heads for the finished product and the bottom line. He'll do whatever it takes, within reason, to get the job done. In fact, his natural response to what he views as other people's lack of accomplishment is, "Don't just sit around wasting time! Get busy!" He needs achievements.

Another type places high value on recognition and measures success by the amount of acknowledgment and praise she receives. Consequently, she typically follows that route to attention and applause. She gravitates toward friendliness and enjoyment, popularity and prestige-while consciously avoiding rejection, negativism, and arguments.

Then we have the steady, cooperative type of person who needs close relationships. He places a high value on sharing and trust, but bases his feelings about people and things on concrete evidence. He wants the security and predictability found in daily routine-so he resists sudden, unplanned changes and needs stable, predictable environments. He thrives on the familiar. Changes or surprises make him uncomfortable.

The last type concerns herself more with content than with congratulations. She wants to know how things work so she can evaluate how correctly they function. At the extreme, this tendency toward perfectionism can result in paralysis by analysis. Because she needs to be right, she prefers checking processes herself. Concerned with appearances, she focuses on the process-how to perform a task-while complying with established rules and regulations. As the most cerebral of the four types (in terms of how they deal with people and situations, not I.Q.), tasks win over people and a slow pace prevails.

Part One, "Understanding People Smarts," helps you to identify and better deal with virtually everyone. In "The Platinum Rule," we show you more about treating others the way they want to be treated, not the way you want to be treated-without being phony or underhanded. In "I Know Who You Are, But What Am I?", we describe each behavioral style and help you determine which one you are. Next, we assist you to identify other people's natural styles. The Adaptability chapter includes both versatility and flexibility characteristics and helps you to determine how adaptable you are in life's varying situations.

Part Two deals with "Workplace Applications." The chapters here help you identify and appropriately respond to the four basic types in a work environment. And we show how the different types typically lead and want to be managed.

In Part Three, we delve into more specific behaviors, combination patterns that more accurately describe you and others. Then we summarize all 15 commonly combined patterns and show you what they specifically want, need, and fear.

This is a reader-friendly book. You can use and reuse it as a constant companion for dealing with difficult people and stressful situations. It gives you the tools to get what you want in various work situations and equips you with the power and knowledge to cash in on these insights through more positive and productive exchanges with others. You can realistically take charge of improving all your work relationships and this book shows how. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Keynote Publishing Company (December 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0962516112
• ISBN-13: 978-0962516115
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #913,659 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Tony Alessandra has a street-wise, college-smart perspective on business, having been raised in the housing projects of NYC to eventually realizing success as a graduate professor of marketing, entrepreneur, business author, and hall-of-fame keynote speaker. He earned a BBA from the Univ. of Notre Dame, an MBA from the Univ. of Connecticut and his PhD in marketing from Georgia State University.

In addition to being president of Assessment Business Center, a company that offers online 360º assessments, Tony is also a founding partner in The Cyrano Group and Platinum Rule Group--companies which have successfully combined cutting-edge technology and proven psychology to give salespeople the ability to build and maintain positive relationships with hundreds of clients and prospects.

Dr. Alessandra is a prolific author with 27 books translated into over 50 foreign language editions, including the newly revised, best selling The NEW Art of Managing People (Free Press/Simon & Schuster, 2008); Charisma (Warner Books, 1998); The Platinum Rule (Warner Books, 1996); Collaborative Selling (John Wiley & Sons, 1993); and Communicating at Work (Fireside/Simon & Schuster, 1993). He is featured in over 50 audio/video programs and films, including Relationship Strategies (American Media); The Dynamics of Effective Listening (Nightingale-Conant); and Non-Manipulative Selling (Walt Disney). He is also the originator of the internationally-recognized behavioral style assessment tool - The Platinum Rule®.

Recognized by Meetings & Conventions Magazine as "one of America's most electrifying speakers," Dr. Alessandra was inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame in 1985. In 2009 and 2010, he was inducted as one of the "Legends of the Speaking Profession" and in 2010 and 2011 he was selected as one of the Top 5 Marketing Speakers by Speaking.com. Tony's polished style, powerful message, and proven ability as a consummate business strategist consistently earn rave reviews and loyal clients.

Contact information for Dr. Tony Alessandra:
* Dr. Tony's Products: http://www.alessandra.com/products/index.asp
* Keynote Speeches: Holli Catchpole: Phone: [phone] ● Email: [e-mail]
* Corporate Training: Scott Zimmerman: Phone: [phone] x2 ● Email: [e-mail]
* Cyrano CRM System: Scott Zimmerman: Phone: [phone] x2 ● Email: [e-mail]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A really good book from a great speaker and motivator, April 18, 1999

By 

Adam Lefton (Schaumburg, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: People Smarts - Bending the Golden Rule to Give Others What They Want (Hardcover)

If you believe that getting along with others is the universal key to success,then this book is important reading. If, on the other hand, you don't believe that getting along with others is important, then it's even more important to read this book. While working for a major information services company, our management team believed so strongly in Tony Alessandra's message we not only gave copies of this book to more than 200 of our sales representatives, but also brought Tony to one of our sales meetings to reinforce the message face-to-face. If you have any questions about Tony Alessandra, feel free to email me at [e-mail]

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must to learn about personality profiles and human interaction!, January 30, 2007

By 

Robert M. Pick "Beatles Fan" (Chicago, Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: People Smart: Powerful Techniques for Turning Every Encounter into a Mutual Win (Paperback)

This book is GREAT! I have referenced this book many times. As an oral surgeon in private practice and an international lectlurer, I deal with all different personality types regarding people and I also have a staff with various personality profiles. I have virtually no staff issues any more and my case acceptance is through the roof.

By examining the 4 basic types (DISC), you will be able to understand how to interact with people in ways you never though possible. For all people this stuff is powerful! You will have a greater acceptance of what you need from others and you will find your every day interactions with friends, family and spouse tremendously improved. You gain a deep understading of how others think and respond. In sales for example, your selling rate will go up exponentially.

This is a must read for people interaction!

Dr. Robert M. Pick
Chicgo, Illinois

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Review of "People Smart", October 29, 2009

By 

Mr. Harold Lovett "Bookshai" (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: People Smart: Powerful Techniques for Turning Every Encounter into a Mutual Win (Paperback)

Greetings from downunder: People Smart is a blessing in disguise. As a counsellor (Marriage & relationships) it is great to be able to "Read" & "Treat" people the way they want to be treated. By applying the "Platinum Rule" in everyday situations I have found that it has help me to make friends and keep them. Business wise it also helps in negotiations and reasoning with salespeople etc. This a must read for people in all walks of life. Great book. Harold