Quarterly Newsletter
One Quarter Down, Three to Go! I hope your 2022 is off to an even better start than you expected. I had the opportunity to get back on the road and it’s been wonderful to meet people, shake hands, share meals, and everything else that goes along with conferences. I think people are hungry for that but I’ve also noticed something else.
When it comes to actual training, most companies I talk with prefer staying online…if it’s done right. Doing it right is not just a face on Zoom with a power point running. The video studio I put in over a year ago has allowed me to engage clients in a way that almost feels like we’re in the same room. That’s because they see me from the waist up along side a big screen tv. Occasionally I wheel a whiteboard in as we interact. Layer on top of that shorter training segments (2 hours vs. 8 hours in person) and the spaced learning allows time to digest the material then put it into practice. My sense is this; in person conferences and online training are both here to stay for the reasons noted above.
Keep your momentum going and best of luck for an even better Q2 than Q1.
Sincerely,
Brian
What’s Influence PEOPLE all about?
- Why – Help you enjoy more professional success and personal happiness.
- How – Teach you the science of ethical influence.
- What – Speak, write, train, coach, and consult.
- Who – Clients include leaders, salespeople, business coaches, insurance professionals, and attorneys.
Here’s What’s New…
Writing
My third book, The Influencer: Secrets to Success and Happiness, has been getting good reviews and has opened up a new set of readers. I’ve enjoyed the podcast conversations about the book, the characters, and the learning. I had no intention of writing a follow up but ideas keep coming so nothing is off the table. If you’ve not picked up a copy yet, you can it in paperback or Kindle on Amazon.
At present, I’m working on a book about my relationship with my father. If you’ve followed me for any length of time then you know my father passed away about a year and a half ago. He served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. Serving in the Marines can be a very good thing but it can also be a bad thing, depending on how it impacts the Marine and his family. I’m tentatively calling the book His Story is My Story. I plan to make it a resource for the Marines. Perhaps a Marine will read it and it will positively impact him and how he relates to his family. Perhaps the family of a Marine will read it and they’ll understand the Marine in their life better.
Podcasts
I’ve now recorded more than 150 podcast episodes with 143 available on my podcasting page. Here are a couple of recent episodes that might interest you:
- Craig Pretzinger and Jason Feltman are loads of fun to talk with so I was very happy when they invited me back on The Insurance Dudes Podcast to talk sales, insurance, my new book The Influencer, and much more. Catch both parts of the show here: Part 1 and Part 2.
- Mark Raffan invited me back on Negotiations Ninja to discuss real world application of influence. The conversation revolved around stories from The Influencer: Secrets to Success and Happiness. Mark gets influence because of his negotiations background so it was a very enjoyable conversation. Click here to listen.
Best of…
More recommendations for you to read, listen to, and watch. No two people are exactly alike so you might not like or agree with some of my suggestions but I encourage you to be open minded to anything that will stretch your thinking and challenge your assumptions.
Books
The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard. Full disclosure upfront; this is a religious book with a Christian basis. I want to share it with you because it’s had a profound impact on my thinking and my walk with God. Here’s what stood out for me about Willard’s writing; he pointed out that the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount have been turned into the new law. In other words, the Beatitudes have become something people try to will themselves to do. Willard rightly points out that we have it backwards. The good things talked about in the Beatitudes are the outgrowth of having a right relationship with God. If you pick it up, I hope you get as much out of it as I did.
Leadership by Algorithm by David De Cremer. This is another book that I did an in-depth review of for a short course on the Emeritus learning platform. The book explores artificial intelligence’s (AI) relationship to business in terms of how it will impact leadership now and in the future. Here are just a handful of things you’ll learn as you read:
- Understand what AI is,
- Appreciate how AI potentially impacts leadership,
- Learn why it’s difficult for AI to replace visionary leaders,
- Find ways to combine AI with leadership judgment, and
- Address concerns that can arise with AI in the workplace.
Podcasts
Networking Rx is hosted by Frank Agin. I met Frank many years ago through our mutual connection, John Millen. Frank was instrumental in helping me get my first book across the finish line. I quickly realized that Frank is a networking guru! Many of the podcasts I’ve been on over the years have been a result of people I met through Frank. With every fiber of his being Frank lives networking. If you want to understand how to grow your connections and benefit from networking in a very natural way listen to the Networking Rx podcast.
Watch
Benjamin Franklin is the latest Ken Burns series on PBS. In my opinion, everything Ken Burns touches turns into gold. I’ve not come across any of his documentaries that I did not thoroughly enjoy. I’ve only recently started this new one but it has the same look, sound, and feel as all of his other documentaries. Listening to the narration is like reconnecting with an old friend. I was immediately captivated by everything about the show. And, true to form, Burns does not gloss over many of Franklin’s human flaws including owning slaves and infidelity. I think you’ll enjoy this four-hour documentary on one of the people who shaped America in many ways.
Brian Ahearn
Brian Ahearn is the Chief Influence Officer at Influence PEOPLE, LLC. An author, TEDx speaker, international trainer, coach, and consultant, he’s one of only a dozen people in the world personally trained by Robert Cialdini, Ph.D., the most cited living social psychologist on the science of ethical influence.
Brian’s first book, Influence PEOPLE: Powerful Everyday Opportunities to Persuade that are Lasting and Ethical, was named one of the 100 Best Influence Books of All Time by BookAuthority. His second book, Persuasive Selling for Relationship Driven Insurance Agents, was an Amazon new release bestseller in several categories. His third book, The Influencer: Secrets to Success and Happiness, is now available.
Brian’s LinkedIn Learning courses on persuasive selling and coaching have been viewed by more than 400,000 people around the world.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!