Influenced from Above – Sneak Peek

My daughter’s question over lunch in July 2019 stopped me in my tracks. The day before, I’d given a presentation on Robert Cialdini’s principles of influence, a topic I had studied and taught for years, and Abigail was in the audience. Her question made me realize—I had never seriously considered where faith fit into the influence equation.

As we sat outside a Mexican restaurant on a beautiful summer day, her question ignited a conversation and sparked a burning desire within me to explore the question of how faith and influence intersect.

The more we spoke, some connections became obvious: The Lord’s call to “Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you” was a clear application of reciprocity.

Others weren’t so clear, at least on the surface. For example, I told Abigail about the principle of liking, that it’s easier for people to say “yes” to you if they like you. Everyone gets that because it seems like common sense. But most people miss this key element; it’s more about you liking the people you’re with than it is trying to get them to like you. That subtle difference? It changes everything.

I recall telling her, “I can’t necessarily talk about love in a corporate setting but if people use this principle the right way, it gets them pretty close to love. Why? Because we naturally want what’s best for people we consider friends, often placing their wellbeing above our own. When they know we truly care for them, they become much more open to whatever we might ask or propose.”

In the years since that conversation, I began to think more and more about how the principles of influence had a connection to faith. I’ve not come across any resource that blends those topics, so I set out to change that. The more I explored, the more I realized something profound—these principles weren’t just useful strategies for persuasion; they were fundamental truths about human nature. And if they reflect something deeper within us, might they point to something—or Someone—greater?

The answer, I believe, is God. He designed us to respond to certain psychological and relational cues because they reflect deeper spiritual realities. And that’s where science comes in. Some see a conflict between science and faith, but I see confirmation. The more I study influence, the more clearly I see science confirming what Scripture has proclaimed for centuries. In fact, it excites me when I discover how biblical principles are supported by findings from science. Here’s one example:

Jesus told his followers, “You cannot serve God and mammon (money).” In Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior, authors Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman, share results from brain imaging studies. They wrote, “Unlike, say, the parts of our brain that control movement and speech, the pleasure center and the altruistic center cannot both function at the same time; either one or the other is in control” (p. 141). They go on, “It’s as if we have two ‘engines’ running our brains that can’t operate simultaneously. We can approach a task either altruistically or from a self-interested perspective” (p. 142). Isn’t it fascinating that Jesus’s words from 2,000 years ago are being validated by modern brain science?

The principles of influence are validated by science too. Social psychologists and behavioral economists create rigorously controlled experiments designed to find out how people respond in different situations. Of course, everyone doesn’t respond exactly the same but with large enough samples, we see consistent patterns in how people respond to different influence approaches.

In 2021, I released my third book, The Influencer: Secrets to Success and Happiness. It’s a business parable designed to teach readers about the principles of influence in a story format. It follows John Andrews, an ordinary person who—through mentors, coaches, and real-life experiences—becomes an extraordinary influencer.

The more I thought about influence, faith, and The Influencer, I saw an opportunity to address the faith and influence connection in a similar story approach with John Andrews in his next phase of life. Unlike The Influencer, which focused primarily on influence in business, Influenced from Above continues John’s journey, but this time it’s not just about worldly success—it’s about eternal significance.

I mentioned faith and science earlier. I hope by reading this book, you’ll see the two don’t have to be in opposition. I invite you to explore the principles of influence with me—not just as tools for success and happiness, but as a way to live out your faith boldly, influence others for good, and leave an eternal impact.

—Brian Ahearn