Compelling People: The Hidden Qualities That Make Us Influential

About the Book

Everyone wants to know how to be more influential. But most of us don't really think we can have the kind of magnetism or charisma that we associate with someone like Bill Clinton or Oprah Winfrey unless it comes naturally.

Now, in Compelling People, which is already being taught at Harvard and Columbia Business Schools, John Neffinger and Matthew Kohut show that this isn't something we have to be born with - it's something we can learn. Expanding on the themes in their co-authored Harvard Business Review cover story "Connect, Then Lead," they trace the path to influence through a balance of strength (the root of respect) and warmth (the root of affection). Each seems simple, but only a few of us figure out the tricky task of projecting both at once. The ability to master this dynamic is so rare that we celebrate and elevate those people who have managed to do it.

Drawing on cutting-edge social science research as well as their own work with Fortune 500 executives, members of Congress, TED speakers, and Nobel Prize winners, Neffinger and Kohut reveal:

- The common thread connecting Machiavelli and Martin Luther King

- The secret technique behind the success of Bill Clinton, Ann Richards and Denzel Washington-one that you can use today

- How looks affect our career prospects

- The single best strategy for getting someone to agree with you

Offering practical advice for a range of common and challenging situations, Compelling People explains how we size each other up-and how we can learn to win the admiration, respect, and affection we desire.

About the Author :
John Neffinger and Matthew Kohut are partners in KNP Communications, a firm specializing in presentation coaching and communications strategy for corporate and political clients. They also lecture regularly at Harvard Business School, Columbia Business School, MIT, Bennington College, and the Naval War College.

Review :
Have you ever wondered why you make the impression you do? In Compelling People, John Neffinger and Matthew Kohut marshal a wide-range of evidence from psychology to demonstrate that everything you do projects your strength and warmth to others. Not only does this book tell you why people react to you as they do, it also provides specific suggestions for managing your image. This book is a must-read for all leaders who want to maximize their influence on others

Human psychology is endlessly fascinating, and never more so than in this book. It is both serious and engaging. Kohut and Neffinger will help you to lead - and succeed - in everything from public speaking to love. This is a wonderful read

Thanks to John Neffinger and Matthew Kohut, I now have a much greater understanding of how to better influence and connect with all the people I encounter every day. After reading this wonderful book, I found myself standing and sitting straighter, holding my hands differently, and following its many other sure-fire tips for how to project strength and warmth. Compelling People is a fascinating, beguiling read with the potential to change your life

This book is required reading at Harvard Business School, and for good reason-it helps their students become more successful, and it can do the same for all of us. There is no denying that how the world sees us can make all the difference in how successful we are, and that is exactly what Compelling People addresses. It teaches us how to use style and approachability to improve others' view of us and, in turn, our professional lives. It teaches us not only how to become more compelling people, but how to become better at compelling people. (Clever title, no? And not incidentally, the book also covers these dynamics in our personal lives-from social media to dating.) . . . This book helps us become more conscious of traits we might have otherwise overlooked or taken for granted-factors surprisingly within our control that can have a huge impact on our worldview, and the world's view of us. - 800ceoread.com