Monday, May 26, 2008

Influential People

"[People] who want to help, for no other reason than because they like to help, turns out to be an awfully effective way of getting someone's attention [when they make recommendations." -- Malcolm Gladwell

Think of that person -- we all seem to know at least one -- who is a fountain of information, so much so that it borders on useless trivia. If that person shares for the genuine purpose of helping out, rather than showing me how smart he is, I'm going to give him a lot of credibility. It's the same reason that I shopped the Consumer Reports when choosing my first car.

To gain influence, first gain a spirit of helpfulness.

No comments: