365 Powerful Ways to Influence

By: Donald W. Hendon 
Publisher: Pelican Publishing 
Publication Date: January 2010
ISBN: 978-1589807259 
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: February 12, 20103

If you see a gong in a car dealership showroom, you may as well head on back out the door if you can. Hard sell salespeople will be at you like a school of piranhas and if you walk out with a contract and the keys to a car you really can’t afford, you’re going to have a huge case of buyer’s remorse and a lot less cash in your bank account. Hitting that gong or falling for any sales pitch that makes it seem like you are getting a deal is for people who are not well versed in how to protect themselves or know how others subtly influence them. Follow Donald W. Hendon into a Desert DeSoto and he’ll show you how to avoid getting taken and will tell you nine “ways to win.” People can influence you in many ways and conversely you can influence them to get what you want. Which is it going to be?

Not everyone is heading out in this economy to purchase big ticket items like cars, but there are myriad opportunities for the individual to influence others. This book will tell you how to quit becoming a total loser and get what and where you want to be using several of Donald’s tactics. Nothing comes in a day and indeed he claims that “It’s going to take you a long time to master these 365 tactics.” At one point he suggests practicing on one of those piranhas once a month, but for most of us that would prove to be disastrous. There are four skill levels of power persuasion. You may readily recognize yourself, but if not there is a test offered that will give you “a valuable lesson in self discovery.” In this book you will learn:

* How to prepare yourself to influence others (numerous tactics)
* The do’s and don’ts of concessions
* How to become a “master strategist”
* How to use assertive-distractive tactics
* How to use time as a tactic
* How to dress for success
* How not to use tactics that everyone will recognize
* How to use more aggressive tactics 
* How to recognize everything from little white lies to dirty tricks
* How to say NO 
* Learn the power of defensive tactics
* Learn what power you actually have
* Learn 365 powerful ways that you can influence others or how they can influence you

This was one of the most interesting books about influence I’ve read in some time. Obviously Donald Hendon is a master strategist who knows what he is doing and worked very hard to impart and share his knowledge with the reader. This book is one you will not want in the hands of the competition because if they are masters of these tactics you don’t have a chance. The book is very thorough, but is one that does not hold punches. It even has a long list of “dirty tactics” that others may use on you in business or corporate situations. You can protect yourself from dirty dealings and can learn to use more assertive tactics to influence others and get what you want. This was a fascinating read, but I did find some repetition now and then. For example, I saw the sentence “Let’s split the difference” at least twice with similar advice. There are many sidebars and charts scattered throughout the text. In the back of the book are exercises, an index, a complete list of the 365 tactics and additional recommended books and website resources.

Quill says: This book is one you will not want in the hands of the competition! These "tactics" are amazing…