Managing a project brings with it the unique challenge of leading, without being the boss.
How do you lead without having authority?
You are reading: The art of persuasion books
The answer is persuasion. mastering this ability can be difficult, but here are some of the best books you can read to make the most of your power.
read on to discover your most compelling self:
start with why: how great leaders inspire everyone to take action by simon sinek
for: the PM who has to justify every decision to his team.
based on ted de sinek’s talk (also known as the third most popular ted talk of all time), he begins with why he lays out the basics of his claim in the title: “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. that.”
This book is a great foundation for understanding how to build your persuasive argument.
Pressed for time? focus on part iv. Do you want to dive deeper? sinek has an interactive discover why course available for those who want a step-by-step guide.
blink: the power of thinking without thinking by malcolm gladwell
for: the pm who already has too much on his plate.
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it’s hard to have a list of social psychology books and *not* include one by malcolm gladwell. A New York Times bestseller for over a decade, Blink is one of his most relevant books for mastering persuasion.
learn to take advantage of the fraction of a second of attention that your audience can give you and take away ideas like “but in the end it all comes down to respect, and the easiest way to communicate respect is through the tone of voice ” and “the key to good decision making is not knowledge, it is understanding.”
Do you have an extra hour? check out this video of gladwell sharing his strategies.
made to stick: why some ideas survive and others die by chip heath, dan heath
for: the pm who silences himself in meetings.
Speaking of Malcolm Gladwell, these Stanford graduates’ take on Tipping Point describes how to make your ideas “stick” with six basic principles: Simplicity, Surprise, Concreteness, Credibility, Emotions, and Stories.
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If you know you’ll only have a few key seconds to make your case, this reading will teach you how to make your ideas unforgettable.
watch chip heath’s keynote address for the full hour breakdown, or skip to the end of this book for helpful tips and a detailed reference guide.
the influential mind: what the brain reveals about our power to change others by tali sharot
for: the scientifically minded pm.
This neuroscientist’s view of persuasion aims to “reveal the systematic errors we make when trying to change our minds.”
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While keeping the content accessible and engaging, sharot weaves in the science behind how influence works in even the smallest, most emotionally-driven ways.
Read this book if you want to sharpen the nuances of your communication skills, and feel free to borrow some of its techniques for use beyond the workplace.
think fast and slow by daniel kahneman
to: pms getting ready for that talk with the executives.
I’m not saying that being a project manager is as important as being a CIA agent, but both strive to “understand and exploit human cognitive processes” in their daily jobs.
That’s right, this book by Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman is on the CIA’s “must read” list, and now it’s on yours too. Thinking fast and slow teaches you to understand the environment of your argument to better communicate your wants and needs.
In order to learn how to be a more convincing arguer, focus on Part IV, “Options,” which discusses how to frame arguments and how best to anticipate risks. Knowing tidbits like “when faced with a difficult question, we often answer an easier one, often unaware of the substitution” can help you ensure you’re having the conversation you want.
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating Like Your Life Depends On It by Chris Voss, Tahl Raz
for: the pm who feels like he’s dealing with a brick wall.
From the mind of the FBI’s chief international kidnapping negotiator, Chris Voss, Never Split the Difference prepares readers to fight any argument. focus on the first chapters (“be a mirror”, “care yes, teacher no”); the end of the book takes a more extreme twist that (I hope) wouldn’t be necessary for the workplace.
Maximize your influence with these five books and see that you don’t need the same level of authority as the executive team, just a finely honed ability to persuade.
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