The Elements of Persuasion by Richard Maxwell and Robert Dickman was recommended to me by a fellow communicator and I’m really glad I read it. If you communicate to any degree then you know how important it is to refine your craft. That’s why I love reading books on speaking and communication. It helps me think about what I do and it broadens my scope.

This book was very good. It really unpacked what happens when we communicate our ideas using words, pictures, and emotion.

Here’s a few of my favorite quotes:

“A story is a fact, wrapped in an emotion that compels us to take an action that transforms our world.”

“Real passion, properly focused, makes a story – or a product – impossible to ignore.”

“Know what you want your audience to do once you stop speaking.”

“Going to see really good public speakers is a way to become one.”

“Every great leader is a great storyteller.”