The Art of Woo

Using Strategic Persuasion to Sell Your Ideas

By: G. Richard Shell, Mario Moussa

Narrated by: Alan Sklar

Your projects, programs, and career turn on the difference between "no" and "yes". Yet selling ideas, especially the kinds of ideas that make organizations work, is a skill shrouded in mystery. Part emotional intelligence, part politics, part rhetoric, and part psychology, selling ideas is not like tricking someone out of his money. It's about helping others to see things your way: engaging their minds and imaginations.

Charles Lindbergh, for example, needed woo to assemble backers for his famous flight. Nelson Mandela also used it to lead a revolution in South Africa. In any context, woo is two parts art and one part science.

In The Art of Woo, Professors G. Richard Shell and Mario Moussa offer a self-assessment to determine which persuasion role fits you best and how to make the most of your natural strengths. They also share vivid stories from their experiences advising thousands of leaders and stories about famous people like John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, Andy Grove, and Bono.

Whether you're introverted or extroverted, competitive or collaborative, intellectual or practical, The Art of Woo will strengthen your persuasion skill in every aspect of your life.

©2007 G. Richard Shell and Mario Moussa (P)2007 Tantor Media Inc.

case studies of the rich and famous is not wooing

when you write a book about how to be persuasive,

dont use a million examples of how already famous, successful and rich people were persuasive.

they got what they wanted, because they were famous not because they were skilled in the art of woo.

steve jobs being two hours late to a meeting and talking for 5 mins than living is an example of entitlement and arrogance not woo.

A gift of knowledge

This book was recommended to me by my current mentor at work. It is an excellent collection of understandings we all need to have when working with colleagues and dealing with politics, while trying to drive strategies in our organizations. It is also great for those who may struggle with managing emotional intelligence in tough workplaces. The narrator has an excellent voice, and reads extremely well. Where I normally would speed the book up to 1.5 speed, I enjoyed his voice and kept it at the regular pace. Definitely a great production for those who want to grow as leaders.

Not for me

The book Didn’t meet my personal need. It moved toooo slow to have kept my interest.