Final Round: Classics for Leaders

Two final books to profile: Made to Stick by the Heath brothers and Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini. Every leader must be able to influence and persuade others. Richard Neustadt once wrote that even US Presidents cannot get things done merely by giving orders. That goes for military generals too. Historian Stephen Ambrose wrote that Eisenhower knew he could not succeed in leading the Alkied forces by being a table thumper. He needed to persuade many people on both sides of the Atlantic, and he needed buy-in. These two books really help us learn how to exercise influence and how to present our ideas in ways that have a lasting impact.