Nicholas Boothman, author of How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less, brings his innovative system of forging instant connections into the workplace. Whether you're standing around the water cooler or giving a formal presentation, success in business depends on creating and maintaining effective relationships. Dig into the fundamentals and learn to mine the potential in every situation.
I spent the first 25 years of my working life as a fashion photographer and as a father of five children. I met so many people with tremendous potential but without any people skills - they were like roses with rubber bands wrapped around them - and they'd never blossom until someone took off that rubber band. I made up my mind to be that person.
I took a risk and traded in my cameras for a laptop and started out going into schools teaching kids how to ace interviews and get jobs. From there it grew fast and within 6 months I was invited to be the kick-off speaker at the AT&T Canada annual convention at the Metro Convention centre in Toronto.
Today I speak all over the world and my books have been translated into more than 30 language. My hottest business speech is "Be Brave - Take Risks." And why not? Taking risks is the only way businesses can grow and innovate.
More than 500 corporations, thousands of small businesses, and six of the world's leading business schools have contacted me to rally and inspire their staff to take risks and connect.
Ce livre a pour but de clarifier le plus mystérieux et le plus non exprimé et c'est pour cela l'aptitude physique pendant nos discussion avec les autre est très importante et très exprimant , les gestes corporels ou le langage non verbale est devenu de plus en plus facile à le comprendre et le déchiffrer grâce à ce genre de livre.
L'auteur a essayé de tout explique ainsi que de donner des conseil pour corriger nos geste pendant des discussion de travaille surtout, se concentrer sur nos point forts et ne jamais faire exprimé de la faiblesse ou la peur ou l'incertitude par nos gestes corporels , nos réactions , ainsi que notre utilisation de quelque phrases incertaines ....
Cette lecture m'a fait attention à beaucoup des idées et des observations que j'ai jamais pris en considération auparavant . Belle lecture !
Short, to the point and with good tips. However, it is already a bit outdated
Below is a copy from the summaries provided in the book
1. THERE'S NO FAILURE, ONLY FEEDBACK
"The Gospel According to Muldoon" - First impressions set the tone for success more than any other factors * Look people in the eye and smile - Your message goes where your eyes send it. Eye contact validates the person and engenders trust. Smiling makes you appear happy and confident. Say "great" to yourself three times and get in the mood * Fit in - become a chameleon - We feel comfortable and relaxed with people who are like us. Synchronize your body language with other's to achieve an immediate connection * Capture the imagination and you capture the heart - Use sensory-rich language and images so others can see, hear, feel, sometimes even smell and taste what you mean
Persuasion - Persuasion is about getting others to want to do what you want them to do. For persuasion to be effective, three elements must be present: a trusting first impression, indisputable logic, and a tug at the emotions * Trust - Trust can precede you implicitly in your title ("general manager"), your credentials, or your reputation. It is earned at first contact through attitude (body language, voice tone) and personal packaging * Logic - Your position, presentation, or point must make sense * Emotion - Your argument must appeal to the imagination, and thus to the emotions
Appeal to all three levels so te person, group, or audience feels: I trust you, you make sense, and you move me. Trust must come first
KFC - The meaning of communication lies in the response it gets. You are 100 percent responsible for whether your communication succeeds or fails. KFC is the formula for successful communication * K: Know what you want - Define what you want in positive terms, and preferably in the present tense * F: Find out what you're getting - Pay attention to all the feedback you get and learn from it so you can determine what is moving you toward your goal and what is distracting you from it * C: Change what you do until you get what you want - It's futile to do the same thing over and over and expect different results. If you don't get what you want, try different approaches, sometimes radically different, until you do get what you want
2. NEUTRALIZE THE FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT RESPONSE
Encourage others to make favorable snap judgements about you. Establish a receptive mood and positive expectations * Be mindful of your body language and personal packaging. We are drawn to people who look healthy and vital. Attitude, posture, facial expressions, and eye contact all influence the energy you radiate. Find a signature look that inspires trust: a combination of authority and approachability * Before you approach someone, adjust your attitude to fit the situation * Demonstrate open body language and signal an open hearth: Smile, make eye contact, point your heart at the person's heart, and let it be seen that you have nothing to conceal in your hands - that you present no threat * Ask a softening question: "Excuse me, can I ask you a question?" "How can you tell...?" "What do you think about...?" * Synchronize your body language and tone of voice. If you are dealing with a small group, synchronize with each individual as you turn to him or her
Preconceived Expectations - We can't stop ourselves or others from making snap judgements about people, but we can learn to see beyond what meets the eye. Don't get lost in what a person looks or sounds like or even old misconceptions of what you think they're like. Remember what you want, and stay focused on your income
Personal Space - Respect people's space. GEtting too close to another person can trigger their fight-or-flight response. Unexpected intrusions are bad for rapport, especially if they come as a surprise
3. WORK YOUR ABC: ATTITUDE, BODY LANGUAGE AND CONGRUENCE
Attitude Is Key * Attitude is infectious. It's the first thing about you that people notice, and it immediately rubs off on those around you * Attitude is made up of your body language, your tone of voice, and your choice of words. If you are enthusiastic, then look enthusiastic, sound enthusiastic, and use enthusiastic words * You can control and adjust your attitude if you want to. Your mind and your body are one system - change one and the other will follow * Learn to distinguish between attitudes that are really useful and attract people to us (being warm, enthusiastic, and confident) and attitudes that are really useless and repel people (being angry, arrogant, or impatient)
Body Language - Become conscious of what your body language says, because it accounts for more than half of what others respond to when connecting with you * Open body language - uncrossed legs and arms, good eye contact, smiling, leaning forward - exposes the heart and is welcoming. It signals, "I'm open for business" * Closed body language - arms crossed defensively, avoiding eye contact, hiding your hands, moving away - defends the heart and repels. It signals, "I'm closed for business" * Pointing your heart - unobstructed by folded arms, clipboards, or bundles of papers - at the heart of those you meet is an easy way to demonstrate you are open for business
Synchronizing Body Language - People in rapport unconsciously synchronize each other's body language and vocal characteristics. If you deliberately synchronize your body or voice with another's, amazing connections can happen
Congruence - When your body language, tone of voice, and words are all saying the same thing, you are congruent, or believable. In order to be persuasive, you must first be credible. If your words and your body language aren't saying the same thing, people will be confused and put off
Feedback * Give and respond to feedback, both verbal and nonverbal: Look and act interested, lean forward, sit on the edge of your seat, smile, shrug your shoulders, laugh * Feedback gives design, direction, and depth to encounters. While you are making connections, feedback is responsible for the ongoing quality of the encounter * Well-delivered feedback makes people feel that you are giving them your attention and that what they are communicating you is having an impact
4. SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF THE BRAIN
Your Brain Can Pricess Only Positive Information - The language of the brain is pictures, sounds, feelings, and, to a lesser extent, smells and tastes. The brain can't process negative pictures (not doing something, not seeing something); it can work only with positive information. So be conscious not to plant negative suggestions in others' minds with the words you choose. (How's that for a double negative!) * Speak in the positive * Say "It's a pleasure" instead of "no problem" * Use the words "Call me" instead of "Don't hesitate to call"
Explanatory Style - When explaining our experiences to ourselves and others, we tend to fall into patterns. Consciously develop a positive explanatory style, and infect others with your upbeat attitude
Cause and Effect - Telling people the reason why you are doing something has a major influence on how they react to you. People tend to automatically comply with requests when given a reason why they should. Keep reading because you'll learn a lot...
5. CONNECT WITH THE SENSES
Sensory Preferences - The most effective way to transfer information from you to someone else is to adapt your communication style to match his or hers. People generally fall into one of three categories: * Visual - Tell or show me how it works. Visual people need to see pictures and make images of their experiences * Auditory - Tell or show me how it sounds. Auditory people need to hear sounds and verbalize their experiences * Kinesthetic - Tell or show me how it feels. Kinesthetic people communicate by expressing physical sensation
Rapport by Design - Establish rapport with others by synchronizing your body language, voice characteristics, preferred words, and sensory preferences with theirs
6. FEED THE PERSONALITY
The business chameleon adapts to and feeds the personality types of his customers and colleagues
Personality Types - There are four basic personalities that businesses are always on the lookout for: dreamers, to come up with ideas; analyzers, to make sure the ideas will work; persuaders, to get the ideas appreciated; and controllers, to make sure things get done. Most people have a combination of these talents, but on usually dominates. Here's how to connect: * Dreamer - Give her room and stimulus to dream. Respect her personal space. Talk in options * Analyst - Pay attention to detail, be well organized, and stick to the facts * Persuader - Respond to him with enthusiasm and appreciate his spontaneity. Put details down on paper * Controller - Give her options and alternatives (then try to steer her toward the outcome you want). Acknowledge her qualities and don't wast her time
The Weaknesses in Your Strength - Examine the weaknesses inherent in your strengths t0 improve your communication skills * Dreamer - Are you indecisive? Do you give others the wrong first impression? Do you say yes when you really mean no? Or no when you really mean yes? * Analyst - Do you miss out on big-picture opportunities? Are you overly critical? Do you appear aloof or distant * Persuader - Do you exaggerate or talk too much? Do you avoid confrontation? Do you have difficulty staying focused * Controller - Are you argumentative or stubborn? How well do you process feedback?
7 - KNOW THE NATURE OF YOUR BUSINESS
The Big Idea - A good big idea with an artfully crafted mission statement - a simple, brif, and memorable explanation of why the organization exists and what difference it makes. The big idea: * Can give an organization personality. It should be memorable, capture the spirit of the organization, and point everyone in the same direction * Does not refer directly to a product or service, but to what the company does. It springs from the true nature of your business * Should trigger the instant mantra "Am I doing it now, or not?" The big idea should be the first consideration for any employee making decisions with customers, clients, and colleagues
The Personal Big Idea - Defining your own personal big idea can give your work life more direction and meaning. This statement conveys the value and essence of what you do. Formulate it in a way that makes sense to you
The Ten-Second Commercial - A ten-second commercial tells others the value of what you do in a way that invites conversation. Once you offer it, the other person should be so intrigued they say "Tell me more" rather than "Big deal" * A ten-second commercial has three parts: what you do, who you do it for, and how it makes their lives better * Keep your ten-second commercial short and to the point
8 - FIND YOUR STYLE
Find Your Style - When people first respond to you, they respond to your attitude - the unspoken message you project. Part of that message is your style. To make a great first impression, develop an individual style that is an expression of independence and confidence * An effective professional style balances authoritywith approachability * Decide on an image you want to project. Ask yourself: What personality style do I have? What do I want my clothing to communicate to others about my strengths and my personality? Does my current wardrobe do this? * Dress for the job you want - not the job you have * Remember, when you are poorly dressed, people notice your clothing; when you are perfectly dressed, they notice you * If you decide you want to project a different image, keep experimenting and changing until you find a look that works for you
9 - OPEN THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION
The Greeting - Socializing is a skill that comes more naturally to some, but everyone can learn the skills necessary to make connections with new people. The tried-and-true procedure for greeting people can be divided into fice parts: * Open - Open your attitude and your body. Point your heart at the person you are meeting * Eye - Be first to make eye contact. Make a mental note of the color of the person's eyes * Smile - Be the first person to smile. Let your smile reflect your attitude and show you are confident, honest, and enthusiastic * Speak - In a warm, friendly voice, greet the person. Give your name first. "Hey, I'm Joanna". Take the lead. make it a practice to remember names * Synch - Synchronize your body language and voice with the other person's
Introductions - Introductions are an important part of business. Handling them graciously is a hallmark of a polished professional * Don't wait to be introduced. Keep your eyes open and be on the lookout for opportunities to introduce yourself * Whenever possible, stand up to greet someone. It's just another way of removing barriers between you * Keep your handshake firm, quick, and respectful * Bring people together by introducing them to one another. Be seen as an accomplished facilitator. Introduce the big star to the smaller star
Find Common Ground - The quicker you can find things in common with the person or people you are connecting with, the faster rapport can be established * Use the free information technique and ask questions that spark the imagination. Be curious about others
10 - GET THEM TALKING
How to Get Them Talking - The ground rules for successfully connecting are: Get the person talking, stay focused, actively observe, actively listen, give feedback and encouragement, and make sure to listen more than talk
Questions - Questions are the spark plugs of conversations. Asking the right kind of questions helps keep the conversational ball rolling * Ask open questions, which open people up and send them to their heart and imagination. They can't be answered with simple "yes" or "no" and they often with "who", "what", "why", "where", "when", or "how" * Avoid closed questions, which shut people down. They can often be answered with a single word, and they sometimes begin with "Are you?" "Did you?" "Have you?" * Use direct commands to the imagination: "What do you think about...?" "Tell me about..." * Actively listen for pointers to pick up and repeat back as questions to your conversational partner
Schmoozing - When conversation builds momentum, it's time to move from polite and inquiring talk to something a little more personal * The schmoozer's language appeals to the senses and to the imagination, while the fact talker asks merely for information. A great schmoozer's conversation is intimate and cozy, even gossipy * Schmoozers know the value of building relationships and that the best way you can approach anyone is to be introduced by someone he or she respects * Stay focused on your goals and keep yourself on track throughout the conversation. Remind yourself of the desired outcome and stay positive * It's crucial to give physical and verbal feedback. Show with your body language that you understand and are interest in the other person * Focus on the person you're with. That sense of closeness between you will instill feelings of importance in your partner * Stay curious. By asking questions, staying engaged, and drawing out your partner, you will find out what makes him tick
Schmoozing the Media - Inform; don't sell. Link an aspect of your big idea and your ten-second commercial directly to the good of the community
11 - FIND THE RIGHT APPROACH
Linking States - You can influence the attitude with which you and your ideas are received. Figure out which emotional states to link together to take people from where they are now to where you want them to be. Using your own attitude, sensory-rich language, and body language, practice linking emotional states at home, at work, at play. Practice, practice, practice!
Job interviews - Research the company before your interview. Use the information you learn to craft a ten-second commercial that connects you with the company - one that shows how your experience, skills, and strengths make you the ideal person for the job
On the phone - There's no body language for you to read on the phone, no clue to what your conversational partner is thinking or feeling except for his words and tone of voice. Likewise, he has no way to know what you're thinking or feeling. So you must be vigilant about how you sound and how you express yourself. Your tone and pacing are just as important as the words you choose
Socializing - A business lunch or other social occasion is about connecting, exploring, and sharing. To socialize most effectively, remember to know what you want, have a useful attitude and open body language, get yourself introduced, stay focused on making connections, and join a group if you need to
12 - REMEMBER: IT'S THE SINGER, NOT THE SONG
The Art of Presentation - Everything you've learned so far comes into play when making a presentation * Establish credibility and authority with a really useful attitude, eye contact, a smile, personal packaging, and an engaging tone of voice * Get your point across in the first ninety seconds or less. Audiences have three questions buzzing through their minds: "So what?" " Who cares?" "What's in it for me?" Nothing exasperates and audience more than not knowing what they are doing there. Your point must contain a cause and effect they can relate to * Care about your subject. Don't try to be an actor on the stage. tie yourself to a big idea - something meaningful - and your connection with the audience will come from the heart * Control your breathing. Use a technique like square breathing (breath in, counting to four; hold for four; out for four; hold for four - repeat ten times) to help you relax and overcome the fear of public speaking * Show some personality. Let your personality shine through in your presentation. It will allow you to better connect and communicate with your audience * Use metaphors. Metaphors direct your audience to their senses - to pictures, sounds, feelings, smells, and tastes, to the realm of the imagination. Use them. They make for a much richer presentation
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Unfortunately, human beings have taxable ideas that it is very difficult for us to change. And one of these ideas is the first impersion we have of another human being, that's why it is very important to make a good impression, because it is very difficult to erase it.
I think that in general I have a good impression with the people I love, to work with them. But personally, I am a disaster. I hope to remember the tips in the personal aspect. This book is totally focused on the professional, but can be applied to the personal without problems.
This book is pretty basic and frankly the quote he uses by a NY Times reporter comparing him to "Dale Carnegie for a rushed era" is quite a stretch. He's not saying anything that new or interesting and I've read How to Win Friends & Influence People and he's really no Carnegie.
In Chapter 1 - Muldoon's Rules: There No Failure, Only Feedback on page 11, the author references his first job as Francis Xavier Muldoon's personal assistant who was an advertising manager for Woman in the mid 60s UK. On pages 15-16, he outlines the 3 rules Muldoon had and they are: 1. When you meet someone, look them in the eye and smile 2. When you want them to feel like they already know you, be a chameleon. This means to mirror their body language. 3. Capture the imagination and you capture the heart.
Pretty generic information if you ask me.
He goes on to write on pages 21-22 how Muldoon says we instinctively know how to fit in. To me that's just another way to say that we know how to conform. He is making this comment in relation to rule #2. Muldoon says we have unconsciously been synchronizing ourselves with others since birth and that now is the time to start doing it consciously. I can agree with this to some extent about being conscious, although he is making the assumption that we've been just following the crowd. I'm sure some people are like that but I didn't find it true for me.
He later writes on page 29 about how Muldoon has an acronym based on the letters KFC, which I think was inspired by the restaurant. KFC stands for: Know what you want Find out what you're getting Change what you do until you get what you want
He goes on to write about Charlie Sheen's movie Wall Street and relates it to this KFC acronym. This KFC acronym just seems so selfish and is basically the kind of stuff a narcissist would love. They just see people as objects to use and don't actually connect for the sake of being a decent human being. There's always some ulterior motive behind their motivation in being friendly. This attitude he is promoting is just about exploiting people. Like being relentless is not a good thing. Do you know that it leads to resentment if people just comply to get you to stop pestering them? He seems to think people won't notice your motives if you change your strategy but people do notice if someone is only nice to you and then drops off once they get what they want. Some people may fall for it but not everyone.
In Chapter 3 - Work Your ABC: Attitude, Body Language, and Congruence he talks about body language and attitude, all stuff that's been said before in other material. On page 68, he lists what he considers 3 useful attitudes. They are: 1. Be enthusiastic 2. Stay curious 3. Embrace humility
I like #3 because our culture seems to have forgotten the concept of modesty and humility and is all about "Me! Me! Me!" so I like when others reference this because it's such a forgotten concept. Other than that, this was pretty common sense.
In Chapter 7 - Know the Nature of Your Business, he talks about on page 144 about an exercise called "Your Ten Second Commercial" exercise. This is basically what is commonly known as "The Elevator Pitch" although is condensed to 10 seconds. He says it has 3 parts: 1. What you do 2. Who you do it for 3. How it makes their lives better
Honestly I don't think this can be done in 10 seconds and really seems to me like he is trying to use it as a gimmick. Like you'd be interacting with someone using a slogan basically because that's probably all you get out in 10 seconds.
Person 1: Hi. How are you? Tell me about yourself? Me: I'm finger lickin' good. Alright now that I've established my awesomeness, please introduce me to Person 2, who has a higher social status than you at Company X.
C’est un livre qui est simple et attachant et on a envie de le terminer ou plutôt de l’explorer dans sa globalité. L’auteur est succinct et expose les idées d’une manière très clair et simple en présentant des fois des exemples illustratifs et explicatifs. IL parle de beaucoup d’aspects qui influencent et qui contribuent à convaincre rapidement . C’est à mettre en pratique toutes les idées évoquées par l’auteur afin de juger de l’efficacité , mais en globalité le contenu du livre est intéressant
Good intro if not aware about making eye-contact, smiling, handshakes and body language, attitudes, mirroring other, dressing, etc. Connect: open (attitude and body), eye contact, smile, speak (introduce self), sync. Gives lots of exercises to practice.
Some people seem to shine in every social setting, making each individual they encounter feel like the most important person in the room. For many other people, meeting strangers and trying to make a good impression can be daunting – but it doesn’t have to be. Corporate consultant Nicholas Boothman explains that every meeting and every interaction contains an opportunity. Learning how to maximize that opportunity is crucial to success in business and in life. Boothman teaches the skills you need to forge instant connections, from making eye contact to smiling warmly and developing a firm handshake. He delves further into areas such as appearance, conversational style, and methods of giving and receiving feedback. Although the content is fairly elementary, getAbstract recommends this engaging, chatty book to anyone who wants to learn how to work a room.
Whether interviewing, selling, networking, or leading a team, brainstorming with the boss or delivering a presentation, success in business depends on connecting with other people. Nicholas Boothman, the best-selling author who consults with Fortune 500 companies, now brings his system of forging instant relationships to the world of business. Beginning with the simplest of tools (face, body, attitude, and voice) he shows how to make a dazzling first impression. And then, for when those first 90 seconds are up, how to master the people-to-people skills that are essential to self-confident, effective, ongoing communication.
I have been applying his principles in sales for a long time but it was great to review them, refine what I do, and become better at connecting.
I loved this book and have recommended it to my team and to others.
Solid introductory primer on how to impress and solicit business at parties, work functions, etc.
If you read one book on event socialization, read Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People" instead. "How to Connect in Business" isn't a bad read, but it's filled with common-sense anecdotes and examples that will be obvious to anyone who has a pair of working brain cells. There's not a lot of time spent dwelling on various aspects of the book, and it's designed to be a quick read that you can refer to every now and then when you forget something.
That said, it's still enjoyable and interesting, just light on content. There are also several dated anecdotes, and the design of the book just screams "mid-90's".
I enjoyed this quick read. While the message isn't groundbreaking and some may feel that it promotes putting up a false front, it does provide good tips for how to help start a conversation off on the right foot and get to the point quickly.
Really, really, really, REALLY good breakdown of the absolute essential basic simplest and most powerful 1, 2 and 3 skills required to be socially very adept.
Could not be more highly recommended. Dude is a superb communicator.
The information provided in this book has application in the real world. I learned a few interesting tools which I look forward to incorporating into my business networking activities. It is information which I also will share with my coaching clients.
Not rocket science, but a great book to re-read every once in awhile to keep you sharp and prevent those less than desirable personality traits we all have from surfacing at the wrong time.
Excellent livre qui nous explique comment nouer rapidement et efficacement des relations avec l autre dans un cadre professionnel ou hors professionnel! A lire absolument dans une vie!