From Bus Rides to Influence: My 20-Year Journey Through the Literature

20 years ago, riding a bus home from work, I started to study #Influence - I was struggling to coach teams effectively inside a large corporation. I stumbled upon a book that took me up a level.

Foundational Texts: Then and Now

At the time Influence Science and Practice (Fourth Edition) by Robert Cialdini was the bible for anyone wanting to understand influence. Very readable and only 250 pages in length. The content was so good that companies like Amazon used it to persuade you to rush into purchases. (Hint they use Scarcity to make you buy now)

Fast forward to today. Cialdini’s Influence book has doubled in size, and I swear the font has shrunk — or maybe that’s just my eyes aging!. Today, I have three other books on Influence with a fourth on the way.

So far I can tell you:

1. Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of Persuasion - Robert Cialdini: This remains the ultimate authority on the subject. However, the additional depth it has gained makes it a harder book for many to approach.

2. The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind - Jonah Berger - An easier read with some very compelling stories. (Not the usual recycled ones from other books). Its only downside, Berger unique terminology might throw you off when you dive into other books

3. Influence Is Your Superpower: How to Get What You Want Without Compromising Who You Are - Zoe Chance - Zoe is a gifted writer; she makes it fun and easy to read about Influence. Caveat: A questionable study reference - the Hungry Judges (https://mindhacks.com/2016/12/08/rational-judges-not-extraneous-factors-in-decisions/). The challenge is once an author has one difficult citation, now we need to be on guard through the rest of the book.

4. Crucial Influence, Third Edition: Leadership Skills to Create Lasting Behavior Change - Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, … - Pending Read: Given their reputation from Crucial Conversations, I’m expecting another hit

5. How Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion, and Persuasion - David McRaney - Pending Read

#YourTurn what have you read on the subject of Influence?

Drop your thoughts below!