10 books like Influence

The focus of this book is self-reference and recursion. By explaining what formal systems are and how they can be identified in music and art, Hofstadter illustrates how fundamental concepts of computing appear in unexpected areas of our lives. A focus of this book is on the principal limitations of formal systems and thus of computing. Some parts of the book may be hard to digest due to the significant use of formal symbol manipulation, and with 777 pages it is not a quick read. The effort is, however, rewarded with deep insights into Gödel's incompleteness theorem and its implication for computing. This is a brilliant book, a true classic, which contains much food for thought.

I recommend this book because Ruiz breaks down a path to create Heaven on Earth in very simple ways. When I say simple however, do not be fooled. The four agreements are anything but simple. It took me more than two years to fully incorporate the first agreement: Be impeccable with your word. These four simple agreements: Be Impeccable with Your Word, Don’t Take Anything Personally, Don’t Make Assumptions, and Always Do Your Best are insights that, when applied in full to your life, your life will transform into something magical and honest. You may grow and expand as a human being and as part of the sacred consciousness of this planet. I try to read parts to my children but in small pieces. I’d prefer to teach the young these qualities from an early age instead of having to relearn from the conditioning that wasn’t healthy. I try my… show more.

This book changed my life. I learned how to maximize my energy, so I perform at my best and enjoy my life. The book focuses on four kinds of energy: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. It is full of practical suggestions – my favorite is, “Life is not a marathon, it is a series of sprints.”  

I have known Richard Rumelt for decades and served for seven years with him on the faculty at UCLA. He is the deepest thinker about strategy I know. Dick took over 30 years to write his first book for practitioners rather than academics, but it was certainly worth the wait. He explains how a good strategy is a specific and coherent response to, and approach for, overcoming the obstacles to progress. A good strategy works by harnessing and applying power where it has the greatest effect. A bad strategy uses vague values, buzzwords, slogans, and unlikely goals. A good strategy has to be crafted and is not produced by adherence to some simple template. The book also puts the reader in the room with Rumelt in his interactions with top executives.

This book shares insights into why some strategies are far more effective than others. The authors explain the difference between a “red ocean” strategy and a “blue ocean” strategy. The book is filled with real-world examples of both strategies and the results they produced. I like this book because it is thought-provoking. It helps me think “outside the box”.

Having read so very many books on body language (and having written a couple myself), I love finding a book that provides much broader cross-cultural research and deeper insights on a specialized, important aspect like facial expressions!

How shocking to learn that there are more than 500 micro-facial expressions, telling people exactly what we feel about any given situation! To be able to read such facial expressions would give leaders an incredible advantage as they communicate—negotiating around the conference table, . . . conducting a job interview, . . . or strategizing with a potential partner, . . . or choosing a spouse!

For more than three decades now, we’ve seen corporations, nonprofits, and governments go under because one or more of their executive leaders proved emotionally unstable. Those leaders were either narcissistic, paranoid, bipolar, impulsive, or immature (temper tantrums, poor coping skills, crying, withdrawing, pouting).

Without self-awareness—and the awareness to identify emotional instability in others—leaders cannot hope to connect genuinely and build personal influence and loyalty among colleagues and staffers.

I love this book because of its research and real-life case studies. With almost every chapter, you’ll say, “Oh, I know that guy or gal!”

Better: You learn how to cope with them (or maybe more importantly, you learn if it will be impossible to ever cope with them).

In Maxwell’s book, the essence of leadership communication is reduced to one concept: integrity of the leader within. That is, leaders can’t communicate values, visions, and ethics that they don’t internalize. His message to readers: Don’t try to preach what you don’t practice because it won’t sell and it won’t jell with those you lead!

Basically, the heart of his message comes from the Biblical verse, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Leaders know that they can NEVER depend on logic alone to build a compelling case. As a leader, their communication must appeal to emotions as well. And being a likeable, approachable, humble leader makes the all-important connection.

What’s more, “the leader within,” unfortunately, can cause the disconnection!

Once again, I love books based on solid research—all the better if based on several decades of solid research, as is the case with this book. The authors, both consultants and university professors, have collected data and lectured worldwide on how leaders communicate to make things happen in both large organizations and in smaller entrepreneurial ventures.
Once again, they have real-life stories “right from the front lines” of ordinary people who learned to use their communication skills and influence to do important things—in many cases, without title or position.

Kouzes is a Fellow of the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University. Posner is an endowed Professor of Leadership and Chair of the Management & Entrepreneurial Department, Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University.

Although this book was written 86 years ago, the ideas in it are timeless. Much of what was written back then is still relevant today, and I guess that is what makes this book a classic.

This is a story as well as a road map for finding success in business and in life. It doesn’t focus only on financial success but ties into the importance of finding a definiteness of purpose. Lastly, you cannot overlook the author's deep level of commitment to his purpose and his willingness to do whatever it took to accomplish it!