Influencing (PDF)

FIONA ELSA DENT is a Director of Executive Education at Ashridge responsible for one of the three faculty teams who manage programmes, client relationships and deliver management development solutions in the Leading People area. She has previously worked in management development roles in the Automobile Association and the financial services sector. Fiona teaches and consults in a broad range of personal, interpersonal and relationship skills, is the author of several articles on Self Managed Development, Influencing Skills and the Use of Psychometric Instruments in Management Development, and four books.

MIKE BRENT is a member of the faculty at Ashridge and specializes in leadership, team-building, coaching, cross-cultural management, leading change and personal development. He has worked as a management trainer and consultant with many international companies including GE, HP, Ericsson, France Telecom, ICI, Volvo, Lufthansa and ABB. Brent has worked extensively in the US and Asia Pacific as well as all over Europe. He has published a number of articles on influencing, coaching and leadership.

'If in your quiet moments of reflection and regret you've said to yourself, I wish I could have got them to... then this book is for you. It is your guarantee that you will never feel powerless or invisible again!' - Dr Eddie Obeng, Director of Learning, Pentacle the Virtual Business School.

'Mike and Fiona have discovered just how important a role influencing plays in the professional environment, and their comprehensive analysis with clear models and the entertaining use of case studies means we can all use this as a practical guide to improving our own ability to influence those around us.' - Matthew Osmon, Commercial Director, International Basketball Federation, Geneva.

'Undoubtedly the best book that I have encountered so far on the subject of influencing. It is a rich blend of theory and practice based on the authors own experience of consulting work with blue chip companies over many years' - Dr Eversley Felix, Senior Learning and Development Consultant, BBC.

'70 years after Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People comes this handy guide to gaining and using influence in the business world. Entertainingly written, it should find a place on every executive's bookshelf. Don't force anyone to buy it, don't even try to persuade them to buy it - just influence their choice. They'll thank you for it. Written in an entertaining and highly accessible style, this is a book to set alongside the heavier works on behavioural psychology, of considerable use to both the budding and confirmed business practitioner.' - Dr Michael Ward, Dean, ESC Rennes School of Business, France

'This book provides a welcome addition to the available literature. The two authors come with an impressive background in leadership...it provides a comprehensive and practicle guide to the dark art of influencing.' - Ian Patterson, Training Journal