100 books like The Art of Woo

By G. Richard Shell, Mario Moussa,

Here are 100 books that The Art of Woo fans have personally recommended if you like The Art of Woo. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most

Wanda T. Wallace Author Of You Can't Know It All: Leading in the Age of Deep Expertise

From my list on getting out of your comfort zone.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am passionate about helping people have the kinds of opportunities they want to have in their careers. I coach, teach, speak and write on how to do exactly that. The secret – it almost always involves getting out of your comfort zone, doing something that is a bit scary to you and that shakes your confidence a bit. However, you never want to be sitting alone trying to achieve something all by yourself. It takes a village to succeed. The art comes in knowing how to ask, getting over your fear of being vulnerable, building trust, knowing how to persuade each person you need, and much more. This is my life’s work. 

Wanda's book list on getting out of your comfort zone

Wanda T. Wallace Why did Wanda love this book?

This book inspired me personally and it has changed how I coach people to think about managing their stress and building their resilience. Especially as you step out of your comfort zone and lead in a new way, in a new area, stress will be high. Cassie’s research clearly shows that what we need to manage stress, to feel good about our lives as a whole, and to be our best self as a leader isn’t as hard as you think. The secret is 2 hours of time each day doing things you enjoy – work included.  

By Cassie Holmes,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Happier Hour as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Learn how to reframe your time around life’s happiest moments to build days that aren’t just full but fulfilling with this “joyful guide” (Eve Rodsky, New York Times bestselling author) that is the antidote to overscheduling.

Our most precious resource isn’t money. It’s time. We are allotted just twenty-four hours a day, and we live in a culture that keeps us feeling “time poor.” Since we can’t add more hours to the day, how can we experience our lives as richer?

Based on her wildly popular MBA class at UCLA, Professor Cassie Holmes demonstrates how to immediately improve our lives…


Book cover of Developing Your Conflict Competence: A Hands-On Guide for Leaders, Managers, Facilitators, and Teams

Wanda T. Wallace Author Of You Can't Know It All: Leading in the Age of Deep Expertise

From my list on getting out of your comfort zone.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am passionate about helping people have the kinds of opportunities they want to have in their careers. I coach, teach, speak and write on how to do exactly that. The secret – it almost always involves getting out of your comfort zone, doing something that is a bit scary to you and that shakes your confidence a bit. However, you never want to be sitting alone trying to achieve something all by yourself. It takes a village to succeed. The art comes in knowing how to ask, getting over your fear of being vulnerable, building trust, knowing how to persuade each person you need, and much more. This is my life’s work. 

Wanda's book list on getting out of your comfort zone

Wanda T. Wallace Why did Wanda love this book?

To do more and to lead a team of experts, conflict is necessary to get a great outcome. Some people are comfortable with conflict, some are not. Either way, as a leader, you need a toolkit on what to do and not to do to de-escalate tension and develop healthy debate. This book is the best toolkit I know. 

By Craig E. Runde, Tim A. Flanagan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Developing Your Conflict Competence as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A practical resource, this book combines tips, checklists, exercises, and stories to outline concrete processes that improve the way leaders, managers, and anyone within an organization responds to conflict. Beginning with a series of questions and self-diagnostics, the authors show you how to: maintain emotional balance in the face of conflict; implement constructive communications techniques; help others deal with conflicts that are causing organization problems; establish norms for handling conflict; use specific approaches for addressing conflict more effectively. "A must-have guidebook for the new age of global business. This book shows every leader how to turn feelings of fear into…


Book cover of Master Mentors: 30 Transformative Insights from Our Greatest Minds

Wanda T. Wallace Author Of You Can't Know It All: Leading in the Age of Deep Expertise

From my list on getting out of your comfort zone.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am passionate about helping people have the kinds of opportunities they want to have in their careers. I coach, teach, speak and write on how to do exactly that. The secret – it almost always involves getting out of your comfort zone, doing something that is a bit scary to you and that shakes your confidence a bit. However, you never want to be sitting alone trying to achieve something all by yourself. It takes a village to succeed. The art comes in knowing how to ask, getting over your fear of being vulnerable, building trust, knowing how to persuade each person you need, and much more. This is my life’s work. 

Wanda's book list on getting out of your comfort zone

Wanda T. Wallace Why did Wanda love this book?

This book gives exactly the lift you need to believe you can do more. There are inspiring, short stories of things leaders have done and the impact it left on the author. I like the personal take on each chapter. It’s very readable and very relatable. Read a chapter, share a chapter with your team, talk about what you liked with others. It’s a great way to get a quick uplift without fretting over not finishing the book.  

By Scott Jeffrey Miller,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Master Mentors as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

For busy professionals and lifelong learners seeking practical strategies for reaching new heights, Master Mentors distills 30 essential learnings from Seth Godin, Susan Cain, Trent Shelton, General Stanley McChrystal, and other top business minds and thought leaders of our time.

Mining the best and brightest revelations from FranklinCovey's global podcast, On Leadership with Scott Miller, Scott personally introduces you to 30 Master Mentors, featuring the single most transformative insight from each of them.

Depending on where you are in your journey, Master Mentors will:

Challenge your current mindset and beliefs, leading to what could be the most important career and…


Book cover of Ask More: The Power of Questions to Open Doors, Uncover Solutions, and Spark Change

Lyle Greenfield Author Of Uniting the States of America: A Self-Care Plan for a Wounded Nation

From my list on restoring your belief in human possibility.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been fascinated by group dynamics, large and small. Why things functioned well, why they didn’t. It’s possible my ability to empathize and use humor as a consensus-builder is the reason I was elected president of a homeowners association, a music production association, and even an agricultural group. Books were not particularly involved in this fascination! But in recent years, experiencing the breakdown of civility and trust in our political and cultural discourse, I’ve taken a more analytical view of the dynamics. These books, in their very different ways, have taught me lessons about life, understanding those with different beliefs, and finding ways to connect and move forward. 

Lyle's book list on restoring your belief in human possibility

Lyle Greenfield Why did Lyle love this book?

This book was like a light bulb switched on suddenly in my brain. Free-floating feelings of uncertainty and anxiety about the decisions I was making and the inexplicable state of our world were literally keeping me up at night. Questions I’d been asking of myself, and of no one in particular, amounted to general complaints: ‘Why is this happening?’ ‘Where is all the anger coming from?’ ‘When will things get better?’

What I learned was the importance of going deeper and asking questions that might actually lead to answers. Or at least to gain an understanding of someone else’s perspective. And definitely to have a clearer insight into my own beliefs and motivations. I learned that asking more resulted in replacing my perpetual sense of uncertainty with something more useful and actionable.

By Frank Sesno,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Ask More as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

What hidden skill links successful people in all walks of life--across cultures, industries, generations . . . all of time? The answer is surprisingly simple: they know how to ask the right questions at the right time. Questions help us break down barriers, discover secrets, solve puzzles, and imagine new ways of doing things. The right question can provide for us not only the answer we need right then but also the ones we'll need tomorrow. Emmy award-winning journalist and media expert Frank Sesno wants to teach you how to question others in a methodical, intentional way so that you…


Book cover of Flip the Script: Getting People to Think Your Idea Is Their Idea

Chris Orzechowski Author Of Make it Rain: The Secret to Generating Massive Paydays from Your Email List

From my list on copywriting.

Why am I passionate about this?

I started my adult life as a bouncer and a school teacher. A few years later, I was running one of the most well-known email marketing agencies in the industry. The reason this happened is because I dedicated my life to becoming a master copywriter. Learning how to write copy was the key that unlocked a level of freedom I didn’t know existed, both personal and financial. It’s also allowed me to write two bestselling books on email marketing, work with 250+ brands, and coach 2,200+ students around the world. I hope this list helps you take your writing skills up a notch.

Chris' book list on copywriting

Chris Orzechowski Why did Chris love this book?

This book was a roller coaster ride. Although I don’t think the word “copywriting” is mentioned a single time throughout, I think it’s one of the best copywriting books ever written. Oren is a master of pitching, usually through presentations. I love the system he lays out in this book and I use it every single day at my email marketing agency. The biggest win I ever got was understanding his concept of the “Flash Roll.” I probably owe at least $500,000 in client work from understanding this 30-second script.

By Oren Klaff,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Flip the Script as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This book will change the way you think about persuasion, and have you closing deals in no time.

These days, it's just not enough to make a great pitch. Over decades of being marketed, pitched, sold (and lied) to, we've grown resistant to sales persuasion. The moment we feel pressured to buy, we pull away. And if we're told what to think, our defences go up.

That's why Oren Klaff, bestselling author of Pitch Anything, has devised a new approach to persuasion based on a simple insight: everyone trusts their own ideas. Instead of pushing your idea on your buyer,…


Book cover of Breakthrough Advertising

Jennifer Havice Author Of Finding the Right Message: How to Turn Voice of Customer Research Into Irresistible Website Copy

From my list on to deliver more persuasive messages.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been intrigued by how people make decisions and why the words we use can significantly impact those decisions. After years of conducting customer research and writing marketing messages for clients, my interest in finding and delivering compelling messages at just the right time to the right audience has only grown. I’ve poured my experience in the online marketing trenches into my book, Finding the Right Message, where I reference more than one of the authors on my recommendation list. 

Jennifer's book list on to deliver more persuasive messages

Jennifer Havice Why did Jennifer love this book?

Decades old, this book continues to be one of the most important resources for creating and delivering effective messages in marketing. Eugene Schwartz is one of the godfathers of direct advertising whose insights about understanding your customer’s state of awareness have been invaluable to countless marketers and copywriters. The examples he shares may be dated, but the advice remains relevant.

By Eugene M. Schwartz,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Breakthrough Advertising as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

paperback version


Book cover of Bargaining for Advantage: Negotiation Strategies for Reasonable People

Carrie J. Menkel-Meadow Author Of What's Fair: Ethics for Negotiators

From my list on ethical negotiators.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am one of the founders of the American dispute resolution field and have taught negotiation, legal ethics, mediation, alternative dispute resolution and international dispute resolution for 40 years in over 25 countries on every continent. I have mediated, negotiated or arbitrated hundreds of cases. I am a law professor who has taught legal ethics since it was required post-Watergate for all law students. As a negotiation teacher and practitioner, I have seen the effects of deceit and dishonorable negotiations in law and diplomacy and peace seeking and I have also seen what can happen when people treat each other fairly to reach better outcomes for problems than they could achieve on their own.

Carrie's book list on ethical negotiators

Carrie J. Menkel-Meadow Why did Carrie love this book?

This book outlines several important orientations to negotiations—game/poker players (who play by the rules but still want to “win”); idealists who believe in almost always treating people honestly and fairly, even if that might mean less personal advantage and instrumental pragmatists who know—“what goes around, comes around” or “your word is your bond”—reputation is everything. In the context of reporting for laypeople a lot of social science research and practical tips, this book helps orient all negotiators to think about what ethical stance they should consider in different contexts. I have taught excerpts of this book for over 20 years.

By G. Richard Shell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bargaining for Advantage as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

BRAND NEW FOR 2019: A fully revised and updated edition of the quintessential guide for learning to negotiate effectively in every part of your life
 
"A must read for everyone seeking to master negotiation. This newly updated classic just got even better."--Robert Cialdini, bestselling author of Influence and Pre-Suasion

As director of the world-renowned Wharton Executive Negotiation Workshop, Professor G. Richard Shell has taught thousands of business leaders, lawyers, administrators, and other professionals how to survive and thrive in the sometimes rough-and-tumble world of negotiation. In the third edition of this internationally acclaimed book, he brings to life his systematic,…


Book cover of You Have More Influence Than You Think: How We Underestimate Our Power of Persuasion, and Why It Matters

Melina Palmer Author Of What Your Employees Need and Can't Tell You

From my list on having more influence at work.

Why am I passionate about this?

The more I learn about the brain, the more I want to dig in and discover more. Why do we procrastinate? Why do people buy things? Why do some people naturally seem to have more influence than others? As an applied behavioral economist, I love unlocking these topics weekly on The Brainy Business podcast (where each person on this list has been a guest) and sharing those insights with the world. Three of the most downloaded episodes (in over 300) featured increasing influence (and authors showcased here), a key factor of being more impactful in life and at work. Enjoy your newfound influence!

Melina's book list on having more influence at work

Melina Palmer Why did Melina love this book?

Do you ever feel like everyone is watching you? What about all those other times when you feel like a fly on the wall – observing while not being noticed? Which is true? Are we invisible or is the world critiquing our every move?

It turns out…people notice us much more than we think (and, much less than we think). And as tends to happen with brain tricks, it is the opposite of how we think it should work. Once you understand this, you can easily leverage those insights to increase your influence.

As Vanessa shares in this great book, even being in the audience at a presentation can impact what the speaker says and how their own perspectives will change. Great news for the introverts – silent influence is real.

By Vanessa Bohns,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked You Have More Influence Than You Think as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Whether attending a meeting, sharing a post online or mustering the nerve to ask for a favour, we often assume our actions, input and requests will be overlooked or rejected. However, as behavioural psychologist Vanessa K. Bohns reveals, people see us, listen to us and agree to do things for us much more than we realise.

In You Have More Influence Than You Think, Bohns draws from original research to illustrate why we fail to recognise the influence we have already and how that lack of awareness can lead us to miss opportunities or accidentally misuse our power. She offers…


Book cover of Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t: And Other Tough-Love Truths to Make You a Better Writer

Jennifer Havice Author Of Finding the Right Message: How to Turn Voice of Customer Research Into Irresistible Website Copy

From my list on to deliver more persuasive messages.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been intrigued by how people make decisions and why the words we use can significantly impact those decisions. After years of conducting customer research and writing marketing messages for clients, my interest in finding and delivering compelling messages at just the right time to the right audience has only grown. I’ve poured my experience in the online marketing trenches into my book, Finding the Right Message, where I reference more than one of the authors on my recommendation list. 

Jennifer's book list on to deliver more persuasive messages

Jennifer Havice Why did Jennifer love this book?

Don’t let the title turn you off. This book helps any type of creator develop the most critical skill of connecting with their audience: empathy. Pressfield reminds us that we need to ask ourselves continually what’s in it for our reader, viewer, listener. Otherwise, we’ll end up speaking to no audience at all.  

By Steven Pressfield,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

There's a mantra that real writers know but wannabe writers don’t. And the secret phrase is this:

NOBODY WANTS TO READ YOUR SH*T.

Recognizing this painful truth is the first step in the writer's transformation from amateur to professional.

“When you understand that nobody wants to read your shit, you develop empathy. You acquire the skill that is indispensable to all artists and entrepreneurs—the ability to switch back and forth in your imagination from your own point of view as writer/painter/seller to the point of view of your reader/gallery-goer/customer. You learn to ask yourself with ev­ery sentence and every phrase:…


Book cover of Attitudes and Persuasion: Classic and Contemporary Approaches

John S. Seiter Author Of Persuasion: Social Influence and Compliance Gaining

From my list on getting what you want without being evil.

Why am I passionate about this?

As an undergraduate in college, I worked selling men’s clothing. There was a rack of suits that, for whatever reason, would not sell, so my boss phoned a coworker and told her to cut the price of the suits by 50 percent. Misunderstanding him, she doubled the price instead. By the time our boss returned from vacation, nearly all those suits had been sold! It made no sense to me…until I read Robert Cialdini’s book, Influence. From there, I not only sold plenty of suits, I earned a Ph.D. at the University of Southern California, and eventually was named a Distinguished Professor at Utah State University.

John's book list on getting what you want without being evil

John S. Seiter Why did John love this book?

What do I consider the most important theory of persuasion? The elaboration likelihood model provides a detailed, yet elegant, framework for understanding two primary “routes” through which people are influenced. This academic book not only helped me synthesize a huge body of previous theory and research, it still provides a practical blueprint for constructing my own persuasive messages. 

By Richard E. Petty, John T. Cacioppo,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Attitudes and Persuasion as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This book provides a needed survey of a truly remarkable number of different theoretical approaches to the related phenomena of attitude and belief change. It focuses on variable perspective theory which is far more deserving of attention than the present level of research activity.


Book cover of Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most
Book cover of Developing Your Conflict Competence: A Hands-On Guide for Leaders, Managers, Facilitators, and Teams
Book cover of Master Mentors: 30 Transformative Insights from Our Greatest Minds

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5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in persuasion, sales, and marketing?

Persuasion 21 books
Sales 79 books
Marketing 207 books