The Underdog Edge: How Ordinary People Change the Minds of the Powerful . . . And Live to Tell About It

A prominent consultant reveals secrets to help you influence and persuade others—even when you aren’t in a position of power. We all have occasions in which we want or need to persuade someone of greater clout, prestige, or authority to see things our way. There are books that show how to effect change from a leadership position or how to work with peers within your own organization—but what can you do when you need to exert “upward influence” with decision makers who can help you achieve your goals? In this book, a popular speaker and successful consultant with expertise in grassroots efforts shows which tactics are most successful when you’re the underdog. She also shares real-world stories of everyday people who have achieved persuasion success in politics and business with someone up the food chain, the peer-reviewed science behind their success—as well as insights from those whose minds they changed. In "The Underdog Edge", youll learn why being the underdog is an advantage when influencing up, and how to engage the edge for influence success. There will come a time when you will be the underdog, and youll have to change the mind of someone more powerful than yourself. The typical influence tactics for general influence situations dont often work with powerful people. These situations call for extreme influence tactics. Find out: * Why powerful people have an inherent need to help underdogs * The five characteristics of underdog street cred (and how to obtain it) * Why showing passion for your cause can actually doom your request * The one underdog influence move that distinguishes the achievers from the yaktivists * The three qualities your pack members must have for maximum influence * Why giving the gift of heroics is incredibly persuasive