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Influence and Persuasion
Influence and Persuasion (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series) <> Paperback <> HarvardBusinessReview <> HarvardBusinessReviewPress
138 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2018
178 people are currently reading
1338 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
May 31, 2024
Go to Dussmann — Pick this one up at the EN/Management Section — Start, skip, read, read, skip, read — Finish — Put it to the side.
The last section on Sales I found quite helpful.
The last section on Sales I found quite helpful.
February 2, 2020
I enjoyed this easy read. Some more things to note down for professional growth.
1. Four components of influence: taking charge and understanding the roles that positional power, emotion, expertise, and nonverbal signals play
2. The Science of Persuasion:
- People like those who like them: find real similarities and offer genuine praise
- People repay in kind: give what you want to receive
- Social proof: Use peer power whenever it’s available
- Consistency: people align with their clear commitments, so make their commitments active, public and voluntary
- Authority: people defer to experts, so expose your expertise, don’t assume it’s self-evident
- scarcity: highlight unique benefits and exclusive information
3. 3 things managers should be doing everyday:
- building trust
- building a team
- building a broader network
4. Charismatic leadership tactics (CLTs):
- connect, compare and contrast
- engage and distill by rhetorical questions
- show integrity, authority and passion: animated voice, facial expressions and gestures
5. To win people over, speak to their wants and needs
6. Storytelling that moves people. Self-knowledge is the root of all great storytelling. Great storytellers & great leaders are skeptics who understand their own masks as well as the masks of life, and this understanding makes them humble. They see the humanity in others and deal with them in a compassionate yet realistic way.
7. The surprising persuasiveness of a sticky note: a small personal touch will go a long way toward getting the wanted results
1. Four components of influence: taking charge and understanding the roles that positional power, emotion, expertise, and nonverbal signals play
2. The Science of Persuasion:
- People like those who like them: find real similarities and offer genuine praise
- People repay in kind: give what you want to receive
- Social proof: Use peer power whenever it’s available
- Consistency: people align with their clear commitments, so make their commitments active, public and voluntary
- Authority: people defer to experts, so expose your expertise, don’t assume it’s self-evident
- scarcity: highlight unique benefits and exclusive information
3. 3 things managers should be doing everyday:
- building trust
- building a team
- building a broader network
4. Charismatic leadership tactics (CLTs):
- connect, compare and contrast
- engage and distill by rhetorical questions
- show integrity, authority and passion: animated voice, facial expressions and gestures
5. To win people over, speak to their wants and needs
6. Storytelling that moves people. Self-knowledge is the root of all great storytelling. Great storytellers & great leaders are skeptics who understand their own masks as well as the masks of life, and this understanding makes them humble. They see the humanity in others and deal with them in a compassionate yet realistic way.
7. The surprising persuasiveness of a sticky note: a small personal touch will go a long way toward getting the wanted results
Want to read
August 31, 2021I enjoyed this read. I felt growth from reading this book. If you are looking to grow youself in the best ways I recommended this book.
January 25, 2022
Cómo manipular a la gente a través del gaslighting y la presión social; el libro.
November 23, 2021
Serinin önceki bölümleri gibi bu kitaba da üç yıldız verdim; nedeni ise işlediği konuyu sadece iş dünyasına yönelik olarak son derece yüzeysel ve pragmatik bir dille ele alıyor oluşu; yine de işe yarar teknikler yönünden faydalı olarak düşünülebilir; yine de büyük bir beklenti içerisinde olmamak lazım.
July 19, 2022
This was a quick book to read and it will help you realize things which you might have already been doing and using but are not aware that it contributes to your skills of influencing others.
September 11, 2018
Some interesting, all-be-it, familiar ideas. I did, however, reread the chapter on Storytelling. One can never go wrong with a periodic dose of this type of material, as it either reminds us of something we've heard before but haven't implemented, or reinforces our current practices and encourages us to keep up the good work.
This is a very small book and a quick read. Really a couple of hours at most.
This is a very small book and a quick read. Really a couple of hours at most.
December 11, 2025
Influence & Persuasion — Clean Summary
1. Four Components of Influence
• Positional power — authority, ownership, or title.
• Emotion — connecting through feelings, not just logic.
• Expertise — credibility; another way to counter positional dynamics.
• Nonverbal signals — presence, body language, tone; often carry more weight than words.
⸻
2. The Science of Persuasion
Principle of Liking
We’re influenced by people who feel familiar or similar to us. Build resonance.
Principle of Reciprocity
Give first. Small gestures of goodwill build loyalty and open people up.
Principle of Social Proof
People follow the behavior of others—peer reviews, endorsements, influencers.
Principle of Consistency
People want to behave in ways consistent with their identity. Once someone commits publicly, they are more likely to follow through.
Principle of Authority
Show your expertise. People trust those who demonstrate competence and clarity.
Principle of Scarcity
People want more of what is limited. Scarcity creates urgency and increases perceived value.
⸻
3. How Managers Should Apply Influence Daily
Build trust + competence — clarity, honesty, preparedness.
Reinforce purpose — connect tasks to bigger meaning.
Broaden the network — influence expands through relationships.
Ask: How am I applying these principles in my daily interactions?
⸻
Charisma & Communication
Charisma = the ability to communicate a clear, inspiring message that motivates people.
Charismatic Leadership Tactics
• Help people remember what you say — metaphors, analogies, comparisons.
• Distill complex ideas into simple, memorable ones.
• Use passion and energy — signal that what you’re saying matters.
• Show empathy — understand needs, reflect them back.
• Engage people — ask the questions that make them feel part of the process.
⸻
Storytelling
• Data and logic alone rarely move people.
• Stories activate emotion and provide context for insight.
• Use character, conflict, and resolution (archetypes).
• Be honest and self-aware; authenticity carries the story.
• Sticky messages work because they feel personal.
⸻
When to Sell / When to Let Go
• Rely on intuition, not only logic.
• Avoid forcing decisions—give people enough clarity to choose simply.
⸻
Key Insight
Influence isn’t about pushing people — it’s about shaping the environment so that the right decision feels natural to them.
You do that through:
• clarity
• competence
• empathy
• memorable storytelling
• small, consistent actions that build trust
1. Four Components of Influence
• Positional power — authority, ownership, or title.
• Emotion — connecting through feelings, not just logic.
• Expertise — credibility; another way to counter positional dynamics.
• Nonverbal signals — presence, body language, tone; often carry more weight than words.
⸻
2. The Science of Persuasion
Principle of Liking
We’re influenced by people who feel familiar or similar to us. Build resonance.
Principle of Reciprocity
Give first. Small gestures of goodwill build loyalty and open people up.
Principle of Social Proof
People follow the behavior of others—peer reviews, endorsements, influencers.
Principle of Consistency
People want to behave in ways consistent with their identity. Once someone commits publicly, they are more likely to follow through.
Principle of Authority
Show your expertise. People trust those who demonstrate competence and clarity.
Principle of Scarcity
People want more of what is limited. Scarcity creates urgency and increases perceived value.
⸻
3. How Managers Should Apply Influence Daily
Build trust + competence — clarity, honesty, preparedness.
Reinforce purpose — connect tasks to bigger meaning.
Broaden the network — influence expands through relationships.
Ask: How am I applying these principles in my daily interactions?
⸻
Charisma & Communication
Charisma = the ability to communicate a clear, inspiring message that motivates people.
Charismatic Leadership Tactics
• Help people remember what you say — metaphors, analogies, comparisons.
• Distill complex ideas into simple, memorable ones.
• Use passion and energy — signal that what you’re saying matters.
• Show empathy — understand needs, reflect them back.
• Engage people — ask the questions that make them feel part of the process.
⸻
Storytelling
• Data and logic alone rarely move people.
• Stories activate emotion and provide context for insight.
• Use character, conflict, and resolution (archetypes).
• Be honest and self-aware; authenticity carries the story.
• Sticky messages work because they feel personal.
⸻
When to Sell / When to Let Go
• Rely on intuition, not only logic.
• Avoid forcing decisions—give people enough clarity to choose simply.
⸻
Key Insight
Influence isn’t about pushing people — it’s about shaping the environment so that the right decision feels natural to them.
You do that through:
• clarity
• competence
• empathy
• memorable storytelling
• small, consistent actions that build trust
November 15, 2024
HBR Emotional Intelligence : Persuasion + Influence. 4 out of 5 stars.
This non-fiction short read is perfect if you want to learn more about the science behind persuasion and how influence plays a big role in our day-to-day lives. The book explains the four components/aspects of influence ( Positional power, emotion, passion/expertise, and human interaction). These four components are spread over eight chapters, each chapter written by a highly qualified author. The first and second chapters of the book explain how to notice the four components of influence as well as learning how to use the science behind persuasion. This second chapter is very heavy with numbers and statistics and might not be for most people. The third and fourth chapter focuses on building trust within a team. The chapters also focus on using charisma to captivate your audience when pitching ideas. Chapter five felt like a filler chapter to me and I really just skimmed over it as it was just not very informational. With this being said chapter six was very important as it teaches the reader how to re-word stories in order to captivate others in pitches. The last two chapters, seven and eight were quite bland for me and I didn’t find it very interesting, as, just like chapter six, left me feeling like I didn’t learn anything.
From looking at other reviews for Persuasion + Influence, I found mixed reviews throughout different websites. The best review that I would recommend explains the book is by MU, a Goodreads user, stated, “ The Emotional Intelligence series by HBR is a great place to start about a topic of interest. Most authors have their own books on the topics they discuss in these series, so you can deepen your knowledge if a certain topics interest you particularly. Nevertheless, just reading the articles is educative enough.”. I totally agree with this review as, if you don’t know a lot about the topic this is a great place to start. As, not only does the shortness of each chapter keep you entertained, but it is simplified to a beginner's knowledge level which just made it so easy and interesting to read, and leaves you wanting to learn more about this interesting topic.
This non-fiction short read is perfect if you want to learn more about the science behind persuasion and how influence plays a big role in our day-to-day lives. The book explains the four components/aspects of influence ( Positional power, emotion, passion/expertise, and human interaction). These four components are spread over eight chapters, each chapter written by a highly qualified author. The first and second chapters of the book explain how to notice the four components of influence as well as learning how to use the science behind persuasion. This second chapter is very heavy with numbers and statistics and might not be for most people. The third and fourth chapter focuses on building trust within a team. The chapters also focus on using charisma to captivate your audience when pitching ideas. Chapter five felt like a filler chapter to me and I really just skimmed over it as it was just not very informational. With this being said chapter six was very important as it teaches the reader how to re-word stories in order to captivate others in pitches. The last two chapters, seven and eight were quite bland for me and I didn’t find it very interesting, as, just like chapter six, left me feeling like I didn’t learn anything.
From looking at other reviews for Persuasion + Influence, I found mixed reviews throughout different websites. The best review that I would recommend explains the book is by MU, a Goodreads user, stated, “ The Emotional Intelligence series by HBR is a great place to start about a topic of interest. Most authors have their own books on the topics they discuss in these series, so you can deepen your knowledge if a certain topics interest you particularly. Nevertheless, just reading the articles is educative enough.”. I totally agree with this review as, if you don’t know a lot about the topic this is a great place to start. As, not only does the shortness of each chapter keep you entertained, but it is simplified to a beginner's knowledge level which just made it so easy and interesting to read, and leaves you wanting to learn more about this interesting topic.
June 5, 2024
I really like something that I read about this book “changing hearts is a really important part of changing minds.” That especially resonated with me as I think about connections I have established, skills that I possess, and what I count on to build genuine bonds with those that I interact with.
Short read, but very informative about influencing and persuading, but not in ways that people often think when they think of these two words - manipulative or controlling. I enjoy the framing from understanding human nature and tendencies, and what genuinely motivates and inspires people.
Here are some quotes that I liked:
“Stories fulfill a profound human need to grasp the patterns of living - not merely as an intellectual exercise, but within a very personal, emotional experience.”
“The great irony of existence is that what makes life worth living does not come from the rosy side. We would all rather be lotus eaters, but life will not allow it. The energy to live comes from the dark side. It comes from everything that makes us suffer. As we struggle against these negative powers, we’re forced to live more deeply, more fully.”
Short read, but very informative about influencing and persuading, but not in ways that people often think when they think of these two words - manipulative or controlling. I enjoy the framing from understanding human nature and tendencies, and what genuinely motivates and inspires people.
Here are some quotes that I liked:
“Stories fulfill a profound human need to grasp the patterns of living - not merely as an intellectual exercise, but within a very personal, emotional experience.”
“The great irony of existence is that what makes life worth living does not come from the rosy side. We would all rather be lotus eaters, but life will not allow it. The energy to live comes from the dark side. It comes from everything that makes us suffer. As we struggle against these negative powers, we’re forced to live more deeply, more fully.”
April 21, 2020
A very light read and can be done in couple of hours but the messages delivered are very nice and interesting. I personally like the storytelling article the best as I agree that it could attract more attention and persuade the others since we also use emotions while telling the story (it sounds more interesting when people tell a story no?)
I also like the post it notes article. I usually left a note with their name at the top and my name at the bottom when I left some paper works on my colleagues desk. Never really thought to personalize it whatsoever (just so they know it’s from me usually) but apparently there’s a research about that, which I find really interesting
I also like the post it notes article. I usually left a note with their name at the top and my name at the bottom when I left some paper works on my colleagues desk. Never really thought to personalize it whatsoever (just so they know it’s from me usually) but apparently there’s a research about that, which I find really interesting
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2020
Libro interesante, aunque me deja con una típica sensación de este tipo de lecturas: la de estar en frente de una lectura "fast food" superficial sobre el comportamiento humano (aunque entiendo que en parte ésa es la idea de este tipo de publicaciones).
Tiene su punto en cualquier caso, y siempre está bien como disparador para profundizar en otras cuestiones. Otra de las inquietudes que me despierta es hasta qué punto los estudios presentados son "anecdóticos" o no.
Aún así, supongo que recomendaría su lectura: en el peor de los casos, es bastante ameno :-)
Tiene su punto en cualquier caso, y siempre está bien como disparador para profundizar en otras cuestiones. Otra de las inquietudes que me despierta es hasta qué punto los estudios presentados son "anecdóticos" o no.
Aún así, supongo que recomendaría su lectura: en el peor de los casos, es bastante ameno :-)
September 3, 2020
Like others in the HBR Emotional Intelligence series, there were lots of great ideas that I know I will continue to reference and review over the coming years. One of my favorites, though, is the reminder that "emotion is simply the way the unconscious communicates its decisions to the conscious mind." When trying to help others buy into a complicated solution, you must appeal to their emotion (elephant, for those Switch people out there), while if it isn't complicated, appealing to logic (or the rider) works just fine.
December 17, 2023
Excelente explicación.
"Influencia y Persuasión" es un libro clave en la serie de inteligencia emocional. Explora las poderosas técnicas de persuasión, desentrañando los principios psicológicos que influyen en nuestras decisiones. Cialdini analiza cómo la reciprocidad, la escasez, la autoridad, el compromiso, la simpatía y la prueba social moldean nuestras elecciones. Este libro ofrece una perspectiva valiosa sobre la influencia humana y proporciona herramientas para comprender y utilizar estas fuerzas de manera ética en diversos contextos.
"Influencia y Persuasión" es un libro clave en la serie de inteligencia emocional. Explora las poderosas técnicas de persuasión, desentrañando los principios psicológicos que influyen en nuestras decisiones. Cialdini analiza cómo la reciprocidad, la escasez, la autoridad, el compromiso, la simpatía y la prueba social moldean nuestras elecciones. Este libro ofrece una perspectiva valiosa sobre la influencia humana y proporciona herramientas para comprender y utilizar estas fuerzas de manera ética en diversos contextos.
August 26, 2024
🌟4.7/5
Why so specific? So, this book is amazing. I took about ten pages of notes and annotated it, and it was so good. I recommend. But the only thing is that it talks about business and work, and I’m 15. So, it doesn’t really apply to me at all. I still read it because some points can be used at my age, but I specifically recommend it to people working at any job. It’s very useful and easy to understand, and it’s a short book you can read quickly. I really enjoyed it, and I think you would too.
Why so specific? So, this book is amazing. I took about ten pages of notes and annotated it, and it was so good. I recommend. But the only thing is that it talks about business and work, and I’m 15. So, it doesn’t really apply to me at all. I still read it because some points can be used at my age, but I specifically recommend it to people working at any job. It’s very useful and easy to understand, and it’s a short book you can read quickly. I really enjoyed it, and I think you would too.
January 13, 2022
Like most HBR books, this is a collection of smaller articles about various subjects related to influence and persuasion. Some were interesting, others, not at much. Some articles were mostly full of examples with no actual actionable items such as X person did this and that happened. I found a few interesting ideas in there.
Found this book in the lost and founds at work. Started it on my way home and forgot about it. Just finished it yesterday.
2/5 stars- Meh.
Found this book in the lost and founds at work. Started it on my way home and forgot about it. Just finished it yesterday.
2/5 stars- Meh.
January 14, 2023
This book felt like a great collection of tips on how to be more influential and persuasive with examples, anecdotes, and applications to support each tip. Learning about these tips will help you use these tatics on others and see when others are using these tatics on you. I think anyone who wants to improve their influence on others should read this book. Specifically, those who are not innately charismatic or natural influencers.
June 11, 2023
Un agudo y certero acercamiento hacia las claves para generar impacto en quien te escucha.
A través de mecanismos y tácticas, como la metáfora, las historias o el desarrollo del carisma, los expertos/as demuestran que el alcance del mensaje es mucho mayor.
Especial enfásis en el autoconocimiento, la personalización del mensaje, la identificación del deseo, el reconocimiento del lado oscuro y la humildad, como fundamentos de los buenos contadores de historias.
A través de mecanismos y tácticas, como la metáfora, las historias o el desarrollo del carisma, los expertos/as demuestran que el alcance del mensaje es mucho mayor.
Especial enfásis en el autoconocimiento, la personalización del mensaje, la identificación del deseo, el reconocimiento del lado oscuro y la humildad, como fundamentos de los buenos contadores de historias.
March 3, 2018
I liked the book. It was interesting, it was intriguing, but I could really grasp it as much as I wanted to. This might be a re-read for me. And maybe even quicker from the first time. It is a page turner in my opinion. I liked the examples in the book and had you connect to real life so well. Maybe this is an under view? I don’t know. But it was in between 3 and 4 stars for me.
December 10, 2019
A good lesson in management and leadership.
I think I'll order the series for a continuous reminder for all those times I lose track of how to sell, defend and prioritize actions
When to address logic and when to address emotions
For simple purchases address the logical side for a complex decision aim for intuition
Logic is slow meanwhile intuition is fast!
I think I'll order the series for a continuous reminder for all those times I lose track of how to sell, defend and prioritize actions
When to address logic and when to address emotions
For simple purchases address the logical side for a complex decision aim for intuition
Logic is slow meanwhile intuition is fast!
September 21, 2020
1. Understanding the Four Components of Influence
2. Harnessing the Science of Persuasion
3. Three things managers should be doing every day
4. Learning Charisma
5. To win people over, speak to their wants and needs
6. Storytelling that moves people
7. The surprising persuasiveness of a sticky note
8. When to sell with facts and figures, and when to appeal to emotions.
2. Harnessing the Science of Persuasion
3. Three things managers should be doing every day
4. Learning Charisma
5. To win people over, speak to their wants and needs
6. Storytelling that moves people
7. The surprising persuasiveness of a sticky note
8. When to sell with facts and figures, and when to appeal to emotions.
February 8, 2021
I loved the book thanks to the great collection of articles on the topic, definitely spot on! The book is short but the information it delivers absolutely well invested. I have got great tips on charisma, selling tactics (rational and irrational), great team management, storytelling techniques and a lot of other things.
May 15, 2025
Practical Researched Advice
I like the insights of using research to support novel approaches to influencing. The ability to influence is decisive to every position where influencing people is necessary. The emotional and storytelling features in creating human motivation were enlightening.
I like the insights of using research to support novel approaches to influencing. The ability to influence is decisive to every position where influencing people is necessary. The emotional and storytelling features in creating human motivation were enlightening.
May 29, 2019
3.5 stars, in reality.
It has some good insights and good points, with nice examples, but definitely has to be re-read at least once again, for the points to stuck.
Reading it was super quick and easy, without getting too preachy or boring. So, yeah, I liked it, and I think it does add value.
It has some good insights and good points, with nice examples, but definitely has to be re-read at least once again, for the points to stuck.
Reading it was super quick and easy, without getting too preachy or boring. So, yeah, I liked it, and I think it does add value.
December 1, 2019
good read of hbr articles collection
- Articles are not connected to each other but seperately got to read
- the recommendations are backed well with examples, yet real life examples were given a bit simplistic and shortsighted
- Articles are not connected to each other but seperately got to read
- the recommendations are backed well with examples, yet real life examples were given a bit simplistic and shortsighted
April 9, 2020
Ok. Excessively priced for very brief summaries on more thorough works by the contributing authors. Ok as a very light introduction of the topics covered, but I would recommend reading the original works by the authors
September 24, 2020
This was an okay book and except a couple of articles, the collection was average. Robert McKee interview was quite interesting and I would love to read more about it. But yeah, the purpose of these books is provide ideas.
November 26, 2020
Sobre simplificado , corto y conciso . Lleno de anécdotas y extractos de otros títulos , creo que para personas que no estén familiarizados con el tema , es una buena lectura introductoria, de lo contrario cuestionaría su valor académico .
En un día o dos lo terminas .
En un día o dos lo terminas .
January 30, 2022
The art of storytelling is a key feature of influence and persuasion. One of the stories involving Churchill in 1945 after Victory Day is perhaps one of the most thought provoking speeches I’ve ever read. This so far is one of my favorites in the box set.
May 8, 2022
ok but not great.
Nothing new and nothing interesting - geared toward leadership. I would like more depth and a less manipulative description of influence and persuasion. This may be good for those who have not read the work of Cialdini or Dale Carnegie.
Nothing new and nothing interesting - geared toward leadership. I would like more depth and a less manipulative description of influence and persuasion. This may be good for those who have not read the work of Cialdini or Dale Carnegie.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews