The Rules of Influence - by William D Crano (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"Look out, Goliath--David has a training manual! . . . One of the best books on social psychology ever written."
---Daniel Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness

No one doubts the power of the majority. It makes the rules and enforces them, and most of us are willing to go along with it, most of the time. But what happens when you're not? What about when the issue is so important to you that you're willing to take on the naysayers? It doesn't matter if you're trying to sell a new product or service, persuade colleagues to try out a new business plan, start a revolution, or simply convince your family where to go for dinner. In all of these cases you're going up against the majority, and more often than not your efforts are going to come up short.

Or at least that was the case before Dr. William Crano--an expert in the field of influence--applied the science of persuasion to those moments when you find yourself outnumbered and overmatched. By doing so, he has discovered proven strategies, such as working from the inside and changing the game from subjective preferences to objective decisions, and distilled these strategies and more into an extraordinary collection of rules that radically affect the likelihood of success.

The Rules of Influence--the most powerful guide to being persuasive even under the most inhospitable conditions--gives you the tools to overcome overwhelming odds and take back control in every situation.

Review Quotes

"Look out, Goliath--David has a training manual! In this smart and engaging book, Crano uses cutting-edge scientific research to show us how the few can influence the many, and how the weak can beat the strong. One of the best books on social psychology ever written." --Daniel Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness

"Machiavelli had it easy -- all he had to do was advise one Prince on how to gain power and how to keep it. William Crano has chosen the opposite, and more difficult task: to advise citizens in a democracy on how to be heard, and listened to, by the powers that be. Based on deep layers of research, yet written with verve, this thoughtful book is an essential manual for informed social action." --Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, bestselling author of Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience and Good Business

"The Rules of Influence by Crano is the seminal work defining specifically how those in the minority must proceed if they are to influence others and cause change. Groundbreaking. Fascinating. Brilliant." --Kevin Hogan, Psy.D., author of The Science of Influence

"The author succeeds in explaining the concepts and studies in a manner accessible even to readers with no prior knowledge of social psychology, and he cites abundant examples of the success of his proposed rules from history and politics." --Kirkus Reviews

"Clearly it's important to allow those with minority views to have voices and influence in politics and business and on social issues. But what is the most effective way to effect change if your message is being drowned out by those in power? Crano lays out a set of effective rules of engagement for alternative thinkers that involves working from the inside, being persistent, staying on message, being flexible, and other strategies to give the little guy a chance for his voice to be heard." --Booklist

About the Author

Dr. William D. Crano is a professor of psychology at Claremont Graduate University, an American Psychological Association and Association for Psychological Science fellow, and a former NATO senior scientist. He is married with three children and lives in California.