Customer Reviews

The Power of Charm: How to Win Anyone Over in Any Situation

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I hate to give an average review when all the others are so great, but I bought the book to read while on the plane. Of course, I new it was short, but I read it in the 50 minutes before getting on the place. Mainly because it is a lot of rehash of Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People" or Tony Alessandra's "Charisma" among others.

I don't say this to be overly negative (I wouldn't want to lack charm while reviewing the book [smile]) it's just that if you've read more than three books on communication skills or influence in the past five or six years, you've already learned 98-99 percent of what this book has to say. If, however, you are totally new to this kind of reading, you may find the book useful. It could also be good as a refresher.

Tom Carpenter

Thesis: The most important quality in winning someone over-whether business or personal-is one's charm. One can learn to develop their own charm and how to use it for personal and business success.

Structure: Book has 138 pages with 39 short chapters, each of which focuses on a specific topic.

Here are short summaries of sections I liked especially well:

The Power of Attention (Ch. 9; pp. 35-37)
Being an attentive, empathetic listening is a crucial component of charm. "Listening" means much more than just being able to recall everything a person says. It means providing signals and behaviors to indicate your genuine undivided attention.

Be Careful with Advice (Ch. 19; pp. 67-69)
As Brian says, the propensity to give advice is universal...and so is the propensity to ignore it. Ron provides a vivid example about the danger of giving advice. Even if you're quite the charmer, your patient listening is the glue that holds your charming skills together.

Get in Step with the Other Person (Ch. 35; pp. 118-120)
You have to find a way to get in sync with the person you want to charm. We all are capable of adapting to others, even if we don't realize it. An inflexible, judgmental attitude is the enemy of charm. You must see the world through the eyes of others.

I ordered this book because I am starting a new business venture and I wanted to make sure that I had the qualities to appeal to a range of people (mostly investors)

I did not really know what to expect.

What I found was a delighfully charming easy to read book that captivated me from the first page and kept my interest through to the last page.

The way Brian Tracy writes is easy on the eye and the things he asks you to do in the book to become more charming are easy to put into practice. I immediately felt much calmer and more in control of the way I communicate with others.

Highly recommended.

Sandra Wheatley MCIPS

I agree with the positive reviews that this book really helps. I concur with those negative reviews that there is nothing new in this book, especially to readers who had read three or more books on communication. However, I am obliged to rate it a four star for the authors excellence to vividly present so much useful stuff in only 134 pages. Very concise and definitely helpful! A good reminder/shortcut for veteran readers and communicators as well. The special bonus section "The Power of Charm on the Telephone" is for sure a bonus. Highly recommended!

p.s. Below please find some of those IMHO not so common sense passages for your reference.

The flick suggests the depth of your involvement with the person and in what she or he is saying.....Flicking is the simple act of shifting your gaze from one person's eyes to the other while you are listening......create a triangle of flicks between his eyes and lips, making her eye contact very intimate and very sensual. Pg 42

Smiles that appear genuine don't switch off abruptly. Real smiles seem to linger for a moment or two. A smile that doesn't linger really isn't a smile. Pg 73

The best way to create a feeling, if you have it not, is to act on every occasion where that feeling is desirable as if you had it already, and you soon will have. - Aristotle pg 78

The true spirit of conversation consists more in bringing out the cleverness of others than in showing a great deal of it yourself. - La Bruyere pg 104

Have you ever tried to talk with others only to find yourself out of step with their mood?...You have to find a way to mesh gears, to make sure that you and the other person are in sync, so that no matter how different you are, you can create rapport....mirroring and matching. Pg 119

Don't forget, a smile can be heard and felt in your voice on the phone. The listener might not smile, but you must! Pg 130

"The Power of Charm" shows you how to create "extraordinary rapport" that makes other people feel exceptional. Authors Brian Tracy and Ron Arden contend that "the most valuable commodity in the world isn't gold or diamonds-- it's charm."

The authors suggest that charm is a proven method for interacting with people that makes them open to you and receptive to your message. As a result, they're more likely to have personal and business relationships with you, and think of you in positive terms. Your reputation, how people think and act towards you is your most valuable personal and professional asset.

From start to finish, this book is entertaining and fun to read. The tone is always upbeat and optimistic -- not like etiquette or manners books that point fingers and shame you into compliance. You'll find yourself smiling and laughing as you read this book, especially the little personal stories and insights that the authors share. There are also some sly techniques for getting someone's attention (such as the "flick technique") that you probably haven't considered before. I found myself stepping back from the text, and thinking about my own communication and interaction style.

The book includes:

Five ways to boost another person's self-esteem
Four keys for effective listening
Why women are better listeners then men
Charm a woman by meeting her three core emotional needs
How to charm the socks off a man in conversation
Why looking into a man's eyes (& finding him valuable & important) is irresistible
How to change the way you act (by changing the way you think)8 signals for creating rapport (and much, much more)

I loved reading `The Power of Charm" and would recommend this book to anyone who wants to brush up on their interpersonal skills. If you really want to connect with people on a deeper level (and who doesn't?) this book is for you.

I'd also recommend this book for anyone who is shy, lonely, looking for love, suffers from a broken heart or failed relationships. The book would also be helpful to anyone who comes across as harsh, overbearing or insensitive. Whatever your disposition, the gentle and lighthearted nature of this book will win you over, and help you realize that change is possible, one small step at a time. Yes, this book has the power to transform your life-- but only if you read it and apply what it says.

The reviews posted here on Amazon don't give the book justice--and I don't understand why anyone would badmouth this gem of book. "The Power of Charm" is a heartwarming book that made me smile from ear to ear.

Last year, I had bought this book and left it on the dining room table. My 13 year old son picked it up and intrigued by the title, he began reading it...and reading it, and reading it. I am not exaggerating when I say that "The Power of Charm" changed my teenage son's life. After reading this book, the authors' tips gave my shy son the confidence and techniques to form relationships with people. He started using the ideas in the book and became much more comfortable and popular at school. Now a year later, before a date with girl, he actually crams on "charm" by reviewing the book the night before! I know this was not the intended audience for this book but it works in many situations!

The Power of Charm is a small book, an easy afternoon's read, that does a masterful job of showing the reader what charm is and how to use it.

I had always wondered how a certain salesman I know did what he does so cleverly. This book answered my questions. And it did more. It provided examples of "charm" that I can use.

The premise of the book is simple: Be more interested in the other person than in yourself.

The steps are simple: Show your interest in what you say, in how you say it, and in your body language.

The results are powerful.

This little book will be installed in my permanent library - it's that good!

Phyllis Staff, Ph.D.
author:
"How to Find Great Senior Housing," and
"128 Ways to Prevent Alzheimer's and Other Dementias"

This is the only charm book you'll ever need. It's a very fast read, which is great, because you can read it, learn the techniques, and start applying them immediately.

This is truly a must have.

I've ready many sales books to improve my presentation skills and closing ratio but none have worked for me quite like this book. I found it realy easy to read and finished it in about 3 hours. After following the easy to use techniques and practising before my next appointment I found my clients were like putty in my hands. Now my job is more than a pleasure to do because after each sale I feel like I've got a new friend for life. Plus, getting referals is 10 times easier after applying the content of this great book. Even Dale Carnegie would be proud to read this. I will probably read it many more times this year.

I bought the book and read it from cover to back in an afternoon but I was much disappointed with it overall.

Given the background of the two authors, it seems that not much research was done for writing the book and, consequently, most of the advice given were in fact much common sense rearranged in a book format.

Please think twice if you want to purchase this book.