A new book is about to be released that is closely tied to communications and business communications – Influencer: The Power to Change Anything. It is written by the same group of people who wrote the New York Times bestseller Crucial Conversations, another great book involving business communications. Influencer is scheduled for nationwide release to book stores on 
I’m excited to get a copy of this book. Influencer is the culmination of a 20-year long project to document the best and most powerful ideas social science has accumulated in the past five decades. As one of the authors, Joseph Grenny, said: "Our new book describes vital work done by the most influential social scientist of the past 50 years who have shown repeatedly that most any behavior can be changed if you just know how to do it. In addition, we've traveled over 100,000 miles to report first-hand about the miraculous work of some quiet but brilliant influencers who have solved world-scale problems in world-class ways—by influencing the behavior of millions of human beings. The stories are astounding and the principles are life changing. We've felt a tremendous sense of responsibility to do justice to these ideas. I hope we came close. You be the judge!"
I feel this book could be very impactful and inspirational—it discusses scores of amazing people from all walks of life, business, and nationality, who have made real changes in this world, who have answered the question "How can one person change the world?" I’m curious to see the role of communications in these stories.
The book is available for pre-order online at a 34% discount through Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble if you order before
Dan,
Thanks for your comment on our new book: Influencer: The Power to Change Anything. I am a co-author of the book and am glad to see you and your readers see the importance of the topic.
We took 20 years to write this book because we wanted to be sure we were studying well-founded, well-demonstrated and sustainable models of how to infuence behavior. You cite, for example, the Delancey Street effort--which has been going on now for 30 years and has helped turn around over 16,000 hardened criminals.
I'll look forward to your feedback after you've had a chance to view the book in its entirety. In the meantime, I want to assure your readers that this book is not for the faint of heart. If anyone is looking for "quick fix" or "tricks" to manipulate others into changing, this book isn't for you. If what you're after is a thorough understanding of why people do what they do--and how to help them change, then this book will suit you quite well.
We do not argue that change is easy--only that it's possible. Furthermore, we do not argue that you can force others to change who choose not to. For example, we've done extensive research into those who have been successful helping individuals with severe addictions. the vast majority of approaches--including the much vaunted "interventions"--work with fewer than 1 in 12 people. What we describe in the book is the best-researched way people can, in fact, help. You and your readers will not be surprised to hear that the most effective approach is not one in which you can control the other person's life or guarantee success. In fact, the first step to influencing people stuck in self-destructive habits is to give up your attempts to control them. Beyond that we describe five sources of influence that profoundly shape all of our behavior--most of which are invisible to us. Our hope is that by descrbing these in accessible ways, readers are empowered to take greater control of their own behavior, and to be a greater influence for good in the lives of others.
Best wishes,
Joseph
Posted by: Joseph Grenny | September 10, 2007 8:15 AM | Permalink to Comment