cover image Three Steps to Yes: The Gentle Art of Getting Your Way

Three Steps to Yes: The Gentle Art of Getting Your Way

Gene Bedell. Crown Publishers, $23 (256pp) ISBN 978-0-609-60698-8

Whether parents are talking with their children or managers are trying to get employees to work harder, how we convey our message is crucial. According to Bedell, a sales consultant and trainer, ""Persuasion is the difference between having potential and achieving your potential."" He believes that once people understand three key principles--fulfill personal needs, be credible and communicate persuasively--they will painlessly master the art of getting what they want. Aimed at a general audience of ""poet"" persuaders who aren't sales professionals, Bedell's guide offers a variety of examples from both home and work life. For instance, he tells of two co-executives who joined a company at the same time, one of whom was so difficult to deal with that everyone ended up working through the second individual until the easy-to-deal with man was promoted while the other was fired. Similarly, at home, kids don't want to deal with a confrontational parent who finds fault with everything. Bedell urges people to ""Be easy-to--easy-to-buy, easy-to-deal-with, easy-to-do-business with and easy-to-live with."" His advice should help readers handle their personal and professional interactions more effectively, while Bedell's comforting tone will reassure them. Still, this breezy volume will only help readers who are ready to consciously take the time to consider all their interactions ahead of time, something that may be difficult in today's fast-paced world. (Nov.)