Influence

Cialdini is a social psychologist who set out to explore what makes us comply with requests from strangers.

He did this from the inside by taking jobs where he was trained by various organisations to sell their wares. What makes this book so valuable is that Cialdini not only identifies six key methods of persuasion that are routinely deployed but also offers guidance on how to defend yourself against them. This has huge relevance for personal finance.

As banks and other financial institutions increase their fraud detection systems, criminals increasingly see you, the individual, as the weak link they can… show more.

We can’t have a list about influence without including the godfather of the space, Robert Cialdini.

The original version of this book featured six principles of persuasion when it came out in 1984 and has sold over 5 million copies around the world. In 2021, Dr. Cialdini released a new and expanded version with a 7th principle of influence. The full set now includes: reciprocity, commitment/consistency, consensus / social proof, authority, liking, scarcity, and (now) unity.

If you have not yet read this book and want to increase your influence at work (and anywhere in your life) Influence is an… show more.

Robert Cialdini’s work on influence changed the course of my career and life. When I read Influence decades ago, I immediately understood his research on influence was a catalyst to hearing yes.

Whether you’re is in sales, management, or leadership, hearing yes is critical for your success. I was so intrigued with Cialdini’s work that I eventually became certified to teach his methodology and I now do that full time.

But Cialdini’s influence wasn’t limited to my career. It profoundly changed how I interact with my spouse, daughter, and everyone else. If you want to learn how to ethically influence… show more.

My students have often thanked me for assigning this book.

After reading the chapter on “Commitment,” one remarked excitedly: “I finally understand my mother!” Bob Cialdini is a social psychologist whose principles of social influence have helped generations of readers learn how to move people in their direction. 

The task of leadership is to create a better future; it is a social influence process that engages hearts and minds. 

This book isn’t standard in any disaster risk management curriculum, but it should be.

Risk communication is perhaps the most challenging part of what we do as disaster risk managers, and this book offers several unique gems. This book was written for advertisers, but we have to remember that risk communication is, at its core, a ‘marketing’ effort focused on influencing human behavior.

This book explains how people process the information they receive in unexpected ways and provides several methods (and tricks) that risk communication professionals can use to make their risk communication more effective.

Cialdini’s Influence is a classic, but still highly relevant and the book ages well.

This “bible of persuasion” is practical, entertaining, and backed by hard science. You will learn about different strategies or principles of influence and how to use them to persuade your partner, customer, or supplier – or, perhaps more importantly; how to defend yourself against cunning influence attempts.

Although not quite updated on all the dark mechanics of modern social media, AI, and tech, the book is a light and enjoyable “must-read” for everybody curious about the mechanics of persuasion.  

This book is a classic in the field of persuasion and influence and it is a must-read for anyone looking to improve their ability to influence customers in a business setting.

The book provides a comprehensive understanding of the psychological principles of persuasion and how they can be applied in a business context. It covers topics such as social proof, authority, scarcity, liking, consistency, and commitment. Each principle is explained in detail with practical applications that can be used in a business setting. The principles discussed in the book are based on decades of research and experiments, making it an… show more.

Cialdini shines the light on evidence-based persuasion principles on their application by real-world influencers—many of which he observed when going undercover. Once we understand the power of reciprocation, of commitment, of social proof, of liking, of authority, and of scarcity, we will better understand both how to ethically apply these persuasive powers, and how to resist those who would use them to manipulate us. Cialdini’s gift for engrossing storytelling further explains what has made this book a multi-million copy best-seller.

This was an early work that defined my own studies into recognising scams. Cialdini spent considerable time studying why he was getting “persuaded” to buy more stuff—even when he was trying to just return what he didn't want. It took him several years to compile the data. And oddly, it was certain scammers that recommend reading his book to be able to increase their sales. Once I read it, I kept referring to it as I dug out from my own expensive victimhood. It's been reprinted in several editions—so you should definitely have a copy to… show more.

This book, more than any other, inspired me to study the fascinating topic of persuasion. It not only helped me understand and defend myself against some of sneakiest tactics used by persuasion tricksters, it guided my thinking about what it means to be an ethical influencer. It is also chock full of “real life” examples, which makes it highly readable.