The Art of Quiet Influence: Timeless Wisdom for Leading Without Authority By Jocelyn Davis

Summary å eBook, PDF or Kindle ePUB ☆ Jocelyn Davis

This book is well written and on an interesting area. In the west we think of leadership and authority in particular ways and contexts. However, in the eastern traditions the author finds 12 ideas or techniques for approaching these trait in a completely different way. How to exert influence without appearing to do so for shorthand.However, it is the author's obvious fascination with the sources of those ideas and techniques which for me were the book's undoing. In a book called The Art of Quiet Influence I had not expected to find page after page of history of the originators of these great insights and this is the reason I did not finish the book. In w way I felt cheated. If the book had been honestly titled something like The lives of Eastern sages and their insights on quiet Influence I would probably have not gone near the book, but those who did would have been very satisfied. In short what I got was a prolonged history lesson and some insights, and not just the insights with some minimal explanation of where they came from.I say again the book is well written and engaging, but does not fulfil the remit which its title creates for it. As such it is likely to attract a less appreciative audience than it deserves. Pocketbok, Ljud-CD Davis writes with grace and ease. The information is rich, honest and focused. One of the better leadership books I’ve come across. Pocketbok, Ljud-CD To begin with this book isn't that easy to read. I am mostly puzzled by the structure starting from a 30 page Overview & Prologue which makes it very demotivating to get going with the rest of the book. And then when you actually find the mental strength required to read it you will be lost within the countless references from influencers of the past, but also some random quotes from the writer's personal experiences. Expect to find quotes from other influencers in a simply littering form and in a way that it makes you feel the writer can't pass on others ideas and thoughts in a meaningful way to become cultivating. And you are left with an uneven flow of writing and information spitting that ruins the whole reading experience. Can I justify the time spend reading it? Somewhat, yes. Would I recommend it? No. Pocketbok, Ljud-CD This book really appealed to me as I work in an environment where you need to influence people without being their line manager and this book provides really useful insights as well as practical tips, or as the author puts it “provides encouragement, know how and assurance”.Aligning leadership to eastern philosophies is a novel and interesting concept and one which, despite undertaking many leadership and management programmes, I have never come across before. The proposition is that the twelve eastern sages referenced (Confuscious, Yoga Vasistha, Zhuangzi, Rumi, Mahabharata, Sima Qian, Murasaki Shikibu, Mahatma Gandhi, Gautama Buddha, Mencius, Zen Master Dogen, Ibn Tufayl) were in some way “proponents and practitioners of quiet influence; strength without force, mindfulness in action”. The writings of each sage are connected to overarching leadership concepts of participation, power and progress with each section broken down into four themes; for example the participation section has four chapters on being humane (Confuscious), applauding anguish (Yoga Vasistha), creating delight (Zhuangzi) and practising patience (Rumi).This is truly a fascinating read and will give you a new perspective on leadership, and show you as Ghandi said “in a gentle way [how] you can shake the world”. Highly recommended. Pocketbok, Ljud-CD 'The Art of Quiet Influence' is a book with an interesting premise, but which left me feeling slightly disappointed by the time I had finished it.This looks at 12 different traits you can learn or utilise to increase your influence skills in the workplace. Each skill is based upon the philosophy of an 'Eastern Sage', which includes Confucious, Mencius, Dogen and Gandhi.Each chapter begins with an example from the author's own experience where the skill could've been used, before intorducing the skill. Then each 'sage' is briefly introduced, how the trait could be utilised, an example of where a western viewpoint leads to downfall and a summing up.I found some of her examples a little meandering and rambling and while the point she is trying to clarify is a worthwhile trait, her way of explaining it feels a little lost at times. It's like she has a list of traits she wishes to use, but can't find solid examples so shoe horns them into to a chapter wherever she can. Or, she gets so lost explaining a particular sages lifetime, or a particular text, she gets lost trying to clearly link it to the trait being explored.This is the reason why I marked the book 3 stars. Although the idea is interesting and is something I wanted to learn about, I felt I finished the book not absorbing as much as I would've liked.The real world examples are sadly too centred on her own experience at her previous consulting company. I think I would've found it engaging if she had sought out similar examples from a range of businesses and from a range of different people.The book concludes with an appendix explaining how to implement each trait she writes about, with bullet points of actions and behaviours to follow. There is also an appendix with 7 Q&A's where she answers what she feels to be queries that would arise from reading the book.I have read numerous business and leadership books, as well as many, many eastern texts and I have to say this is interesting enough, but didn't leave me wanting to recommend it to any of my friends. It went straight onto the charity shop pile as I know I will not be reading it again.Good, but not great. Pocketbok, Ljud-CD

Anyone can be a quiet influencer. But not everyone knows how.

A tremendous and relevant read! Stephen M. R. Covey, New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Speed of Trust

Drawing on the enduring wisdom of the Buddha, Confucius, Rumi, Gandhi and others, The Art of Quiet Influence shows anyone, not just bosses, how to use influence without authority, a key mindfulness principle, to get things done at work and in life. Through the classic wisdom of 12 Eastern sages, relevant insights from influence research, and anecdotes and advice from 25 contemporary experts, Davis lays out a path for becoming a mainspring, the unobtrusive yet powerful influencer first introduced in her book The Greats on Leadership.

Organized around three core influence practices Invite Participation, Share Power, and Aid Progress readers will learn how to take mindfulness practice out of the gym and onto the field, while gaining the confidence and practical know how to be influential in whatever role they occupy. The Art of Quiet Influence: Timeless Wisdom for Leading Without Authority