Well stop wishing and read “Influencer: The Power to Change Anything” by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan and Al Swittzler.

Many who think seriously about business and influence know about, or have read, “Influence, Science and Practise” by Professor Robert Cialdini. In it Cialdini explains the principles of social proof, liking authority and scarcity with real world examples that you can apply in business.

In the same way Influencer (Amazon (UK) Amazon USA) explains how you have the power to influence change in all areas of your life. The authors take you on an influencers journey around the world. They show practical examples of how people who understand the way change really works, get massive results where previously there had only been failure.

The authors describe some of the most successful change programmes running in the world. And they give you the fundamentals to allow you to approach change in the same manner.

The first programme the authors take you to is a business conglomerate that is also a residential therapy practise, run by Dr. Mimi Silbert. Silbert says all her employees are “thieves, prostitutes, robbers and murderers” and many have been homeless, are on drugs and have had 4 or more felony convictions.” And yet this set of businesses, with no therapists, has fundamentally changed the lives of 14,000 employees. Of those who join the business 90% never re-offend and many go on to earn degrees and to get professional jobs.

A TV producer in Mexico City, Miguel Sabido, used his highly popular TV soap opera to change people and got over 250,000 adults out into the streets to try and improve their literacy, a problem that had never been resolved before.

What about the most amazing change that has affected several countries in Africa?

The authors describe how Dr. Donald Hopkins changed the behaviours of African villagers to eradicate the most appalling parasite (the 3 foot long Guinea Worm) from their villages within a year. The parasite had resisted many other programmes over decades.

Other equally fascinating programmes include:

• Making Factory Six Sigma teams work, most failed previously
• The African entrepreneur bank, using “microcredit”
• Stopping Aids spreading in Thailand
• Reducing small crimes in South Carolina
• Ethiopian bride abduction
• Improving teachers ability to help children learn
• Hewlett Packard’s messy desk approach

Rather than just describe the results of all the programmes the authors explain step by step the principles for each of:

• Creating the right motivation
• Harnessing peer pressure
• Designing awards and demanding accountability
• Surpassing your limits
• Finding strength in numbers, with help from others
• Changing the environment

For anyone who wants to improve their business, their life the message comes down to identifying what you want to change, establishing the behaviours that get you there, practise those behaviours until perfect, use coaching to help you and make sure you reward success and take responsibility.

I recommend “Influencer: The Power To Change Anything” heartily if you want change in any area of your life(Amazon (UK) Amazon USA) .

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