AI is a great tool, but like any tool, we can get lazy using it. A calculator is helpful, but kids still need to learn basic math. If they don’t, when the calculator spits out a wrong answer, they may not recognize it. AI is similar. If we don’t understand how to use it well, […]
People often ask me whether Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion and Dr. Robert Cialdini’s principles of influence are still as effective today as they were more than 40 years ago when his book hit bookstores. My answer is always the same: Absolutely! Technology has changed dramatically. We’ve moved from letters to email, from phone calls to texts, and […]
After traveling quite a bit recently and taking countless Uber rides, I’ve started wondering: Is social proof becoming less reliable? If you use Uber regularly, you’ve probably noticed something interesting. It’s hard to find a driver rated below 4.9 stars. Most drivers I see fall somewhere between 4.95 and 4.98. Think about what that means. […]
Last Saturday we said goodbye to my father-in-law, Charles “Chuck” Baily. For 38 years, he and I shared a relationship filled with plenty of back-and-forth good natured teasing. For example: After finishing a biography on Abraham Lincoln that I suggested, I asked him if he voted for Lincoln or Douglass. He once asked about the […]
Just over a week ago, I was in Las Vegas speaking at a conference. It was my first time staying at the Venetian, and the experience—on paper—was incredible. I was in a beautiful suite with a 16th-floor view overlooking five pools. The kind of setting most people would love. And yet, my first thought when […]
If you read this post, it’s guaranteed you’ll get everything you want every time, all the time. Of course, that’s not true. But if you spend any time online, you’ll quickly discover there are plenty of people willing to imply exactly that. Read their book. Listen to their podcast. Follow their formula. Use their script. […]
I almost skipped a recent episode of the John Mark Comer Podcast because John Mark wasn’t speaking. That would have been a mistake! Alex Rettman, the guest speaker, was talking about praise. He began with the word behold—to truly take something in, to capture its beauty. When we behold something, appreciation naturally follows. And appreciation, […]
In the Old Testament, there was a practice known as gleaning. Landowners were commanded not to harvest to the very edges of their fields. If grain fell during harvest, they weren’t to pick it up. Why would someone “waste” something so valuable when food was scarce? Because God built generosity into the system. The leftovers […]
Ben Franklin once wrote, “Three things are extremely hard; steel, a diamond, and to know one’s self.” He was right and I think knowing one’s self is the hardest of the three. Understanding who we are—and why we do what we do—takes time, effort, and courage. All three are in short supply in an age […]
While watching the news recently, I heard someone accused of a crime say, “The truth will set me free.” I hear that line quoted a lot. Almost always with confidence. Almost always without context. When it comes to influence, words matter, context matters, and so does truth. Jesus actually said something more precise—and far more […]
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