I have been using Robert Cialdini's classic book Influence as a text in my introduction to organizational behavior class for about 20 years. This charming and evidence-based book reviews six tools or "weapons" of influence that you can use to persuade others -- and how to defend against unwanted influence attempts. Perhaps the best testimonial to the power of this book and the ideas is that, when I run into students years later, it is usually the first thing they mention about the class, and upon closer questioning, I often realize is it the only thing!
Cialdini has joined with two co-authors -- Noah Goldstein and Steve Martin -- to write a kind of sequel to Influence, called Yes! 50 Scientifically Ways to Be Persuasive. I recommend the book highly, as it presents all kinds of clever and effective influence tactics. You can learn everything from the virtues of inconveniencing people, to why restaurants shouldn't offer a basket of mints for people on the way out, to how to use -- and how not to use -- fear as a motivator. Yes! is based on the best behavioral science research and is an easy read. I can't quite recommend it above Cialdini's original as it doesn't quite have the personal charm of the original and, the original book provides six principles that can be applied in all sorts of different settings, while the 50 short chapters in Yes! each is wonderful, it is a lot easier to remember and act on 6 principles.
For my class next year, I will likely still assign the original influence and make Yes! a suggested read.
Because of this book, I use the word "because" a lot more often. Though unscientific, I think my results have improved.
By the way, the British paperback cover for this book looks almost precisely like Tyler Cowen's "Discover Your Inner Economist", another excellent book.
Posted by: Joseph Logan | August 25, 2008 at 01:20 PM
Mmmm, the title remind me of another very good book : "The Art Of Controversy" from Schopenhauer (full text here : http://coolhaus.de/art-of-controversy/)
His tips may be more agressive (e.g. Interrupt, Break, Divert the Dispute, ad hominem, ...), but still interesting to read, especially when there are elections around.
Posted by: dago | August 25, 2008 at 05:22 AM