The Elements of Persuasion
The Elements of Persuasion
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Product Description
"Every great leader is a great storyteller," says Harvard University psychologist Howard Gardner.
According to master storytellers Richard Maxwell and Robert Dickman, storytelling is a lot like running. Everyone knows how to do it, but few of us ever break the four-minute mile. What separates the great runners from the rest? The greats know not only how to hit every stride, but how every muscle fits together in that stride so that no effort is wasted and their goals are achieved. World-class runners know how to run from the inside out. World-class leaders know how to tell a story from the inside out.
In The Elements of Persuasion, Maxwell and Dickman teach you how to tell stories too. They show you how storytelling relates to every industry and how anyone can benefit from its power.
Maxwell and Dickman use their experiences—both in the entertainment industry and as corporate consultants—to deliver a formula for winning stories. All successful stories have five basic components: the passion with which the story is told, a hero who leads us through the story and allows us to see it through his or her eyes, an antagonist or obstacle that the hero must overcome, a moment of awareness that allows the hero to prevail, and the transformation in the hero and in the world that naturally results.
Let's face it: leading is a lot more fun than following. Even if you never want to be a CEO or to change the world, you do want to have control over your own work and your own ideas. Ultimately, that is what the power of storytelling can give you.
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I…LOVE…this book.
It is superbly written, an enthralling narrative taking a fresh, new look at a very, VERY old art (storytelling). It has completely changed the way I think about structuring stories, a valuable stock-in-trade that I use constantly in my own extremely diverse careers as educator, writer, and entertainer. Let’s face it, in this entrepreneurial Internet-crazy world, we’re ALL our own best spokesperson, and anyone who has to convince ANYONE of ANYTHING will find this book invaluable.
I hadn’t made it through the first chapter before I had formed the list of friends who will be receiving this book for Christmas. This is a GREAT book.
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Since ancient times, story- telling has been used to add vividness and emotional force to ones’ message, but Maxwell and Dickman have shown us in the clearest possible way how this powerful technique can be used to persuade in our contemporary world. As a physician, I was particularly impressed (and appalled) with the chapter describing the resounding success with which big pharma has used story- telling to convince us that we have ills to which they hold the exclusive and highly profitable key. I don’t see how anyone who has a communication that must be heard can afford to miss what this book has to say.
David Singer M.D.
Harvard Medical School
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I’ve been using Robert “Bob” Dickman’s five basic elements of story since he shared them with me more than eight years ago.
There has not been a marketing or design project I’ve undertaken since then that has not benefited significantly from his approach.
The Elements of Persuasion provides you with a way of thinking differently about getting your message heard through the noise.
It does so by preventing you from making the most common but dangerous mistake in marketing: Placing yourself, your company or product at the center of the story.
With this book you’ll never forget that the customer is always the hero in their story.
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In The Tycoon, a recent New Yorker Magazine article about Mort Zuckerman, the billionaire communications mogul and back-channel ambassador, the author pointed to Zuckerman’s skill in telling stories, some true and some anecdotal, as one of the strongest arrows in his Zuckerman’s quiver as a consumate persuader and power broker.
Shortly after I read the article, I came across Maxwell and Dickman’s excelent handbook, The Elements of Persuasion, a brilliant analysis of the components of every compelling story-whether it’s talking a cop out of a parking ticket, getting that last stand-by seat to get to a wedding, or making a memorable presentation that doesn’t end up in the PowerPoint land fill.
Maxwell and Dickman offer a five-element matrix, rooted in greek philosophy and confimed by the most recent discoveries of cognitive science, that can be used to create compelling narratives, whether simple or complex. I found this book imminently readable, entertaining and immediately applicable.
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Like the others who have submitted a review, I too, love this book. I have other books on the topic from well known authors like Roger Shank, but this book is different. Filled with stories about how the Elements have been used in a variety of settings, this book is the ‘how to’ on telling a story. I’m a business guy – we tell dozens of stories each day to keep food on the table. Recently, after reading the book, I applied the five Elements, in just a simple hallway chat in our corporate office, and I could tell a real difference in ‘how’ my story was received by the listener – and I too felt differently. Using Dickman’s and Maxwells’ Essential Elements helped me frame the story versus relying upon my good old friend, the tried and true method of ‘winging it’…
Whether you are a natural at story telling or not, I highly recommend this book, and I highly recommend a second read – it is chalk full of stories and lessons behind the story.
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The authors’ passion comes through loud and clear and they wrote the entire book in humorous examples of their story telling model. They walk the talk and your world will look quite different after walking with them.
Technology opened the floodgates of information but how one presents new ideas to a society drowning in data is an enormous challenge. As a college educator and Organizational Development consultant I need to be the heroic role model of communicating creative ideas and managing change. Inspiring others is my passion; digital distraction and information overload are my adversaries.
The Elements of Persuasion is truly a book about magic. It is about the magic of relating, the magic of communicating and the magic of keeping others on the edge of their seats. At my earliest opportunities I used this story telling construct and the outcome was pure magic; my entire audience actually got it. The Elements of Persuasion is now required reading for all of my students and clients.
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A fool could quickly gloss through the Elements of Persuasion and not take much away from the book. But if you are at all curious about life, social interaction, and how the world really works, this book by Richard Maxwell and Robert Dickman takes it to a whole new level. As the authors wisely point out, “the human voice is by far the most powerful communication tool there is.” The book basically recognizes the universal themes of stories, and how they effect our lives. You could take the newest released books from the marketing sector, non-profit sector, sales, throw them away, and just read the Elements of Persuasion. And specifically, from my point of view as a screenwriter/director, this book is extremely more forward thinking than most of the other screenplay, writing, and story concept books that I’ve read.
Maxwell and Dickman tell fascinating stories throughout, and explain in great detail how these stories relate to real world situations in many different areas. From studies of children being able to form stories before they can talk, to why we all love the TV show House, even though the lead character is “obsessive, narcissistic, and abusive.” Quickly, you realize as you read that the most successful CEO’s, philanthropists, and movie stars all have one thing in common; great stories. And this book brilliantly guides you down the path to discover your own story.
The Elements lets you glimpse into a world where every interaction you have, business decision you make, family member you visit, is a complex and revealing story. It is both fascinating to think in those terms, and wonderful to know that there are real-world applications for all kinds of stories. And just on a personal level, I would honestly love some friends and co-workers of mine to read this book cover to cover so they wouldn’t bore me quite as much.
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Living in Washington, DC, I’ve been entertained for 35 years by our local brand of storytellers, aka “spin doctors.” The choice of heroes and antagonists seems almost arbitrary, depending on whose asses need covering or whose coffers need filling on any given day. In this political setting, the 5-element story model espoused by Maxwell and Dickman presents sharp new tools for evaluating stories and honing the power of my own.
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Most of us would probably not identify storytelling as a business critical skill, and it is not likely to be found in the curriculum of business schools. But the authors are serious business consultants and have worked with some top-notch companies. Moreover, they don’t just talk about storytelling, they practice what they preach. The book is filled with engaging, powerful stories about the impact leaders can have when they understand the power of a compelling story. They recount examples of leaders who have done this successfully, as well as some who did not – to the detriment of their shareholders.
Although this is a quick, entertaining read, it merits careful study. This is not simply a book of stories, it is a practical how-to for those struggling for a way to capture the importance of their mission, their vision, the potential of a new technology, or any other idea crucial to success. When you have finished, you will consider you critical messages in a new way, looking for the Passion, Hero, Antagonist, Awareness and Transformation that will embed your story in the listener’s mind, and if successful, stir them to action. If you are a business leader, and especially if you are someone who sells products, ideas or concepts, this book belongs on your reading list.
Not all great business books are about strategy, execution, innovation, customer-focus or operational efficiency. This one is about a soft skill with hard impact. Highly recommended.
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In my quest for learning how to communicate better in business, I found this book and am thrilled with the consultative, practical insights shared by the authors. Very effective in using stories to communicate key points (as in Ritz and others) as well as specific strategies, this book reveals many practical business leadership skill “how to” tactics that any of us in executive or entrepreneurial roles will find useful.
One of the better-written, thoughtful and useful books I’ve read all year. Superb job on it – highly recommended.
-ken calhoun