Influence Is Your Superpower
A review of

Influence Is Your Superpower

The Science of Winning Hearts, Sparking Change, and Making Good Things Happen

Zoe Chance • Random House • 2022

Influence for Nice People

by Patricia Sanders

Influence doesn’t have to be tacky, greedy or corrupt. Renowned Yale professor Zoe Chance offers an alternative: research-based insights into influence that nice people will feel comfortable putting into practice. Chance shows why an ethical, collaborative approach works best.

For most people, influence means manipulation: a distasteful and even unethical practice. But the power of influence is undeniable – and as celebrated marketing professor Zoe Chance teaches it, with the right mind-set, influence can serve as a force for good. Chance’s class “Mastering Influence and Persuasion” is the most popular course at the Yale School of Management, not only because Chance teaches future executives how to wield personal and professional power but because her take offers a refreshingly ethical approach to the subject.

Chance’s framework, described in her smart, insight-packed guide, eschews win-lose scenarios in favor of outcomes that benefit all. Her approach incorporates listening and empathy, and it calls on readers to exercise their influence for positive impact. Along the way, Chance reveals the secrets to building charisma while offering actionable tactics and tools. For instance, she teaches how to frame a request, how to negotiate creatively and responsibly, and how to spot liars and exploiters.

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    E. O. 6 months ago
    Not as expected. I read the book and got a lot more out of it. Was expecting the summary to capture all of the golden nuggets, not be an extended marketing pitch for the book!