(Cross-posted, with minor changes, from the NC State of Business blog.)
Some books entertain us, some books encourage us, some books challenge us — and some manage all three at once. Guy Kawasaki’s Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions, definitely scores the “hat trick.”*
(Guy Kawasaki. Courtesy of his web site, www.guykawasaki.com. Click to enlarge.)
So how does Enchantment, for lack of a better word, enchant?
I admit that the title of Guy’s book did not enchant me at first. As an Air Force veteran steeped in military history, the phrase “hearts and minds” connoted our country’s failed campaign to secure the support of the local population during the Vietnam War. But, reading the text, I quickly moved beyond that prejudice to enjoy the book’s solid advice.
Guy begins by laying out situations in which we may find it most valuable to be enchanting:
- When we aspire to lofty goals or idealistic results
- When we make difficult decisions that affect other people
- When we need to overcome entrenched habits
- When we find ourselves going against (or even defying) the crowd
- When we aren’t seeing the good results that we are sure will come
But, having said that, Guy warns us that
Enchantment is not about getting your way solely for your own benefit. To the contrary, if you want enchantment to last, other people must benefit, too.
Guy introduces the foundation of enchantment as likability and trustworthiness, and discusses how we can develop these traits. As a dyed-in-the-wool introvert, I found these sections particularly challenging … but also very encouraging.
With the foundation laid, Guy then discusses how to prepare and launch our central idea or product, how to overcome resistance and produce long-lasting enchantment, and how new technologies can help us reach the audiences most likely to find appeal in our messages. Guy’s frequent use of real-world examples from famous and not-so-famous people makes the book very accessible and adds to its overall entertainment value.
Enchantment, it turns out, is possible even if it doesn’t come naturally for all of us. If you’re getting ready to embark on a new venture — a new commercial product, a service project, a political campaign, or just about anything that will involve other people — you’re sure to find something in Enchantment that will help you do it well.
(Enchantment book cover. Courtesy of Guy’s web site. Click to enlarge.)
Enchantment is on sale now. You can find information about ordering a copy on this web page.
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*Guy is a big hockey fan.
FULL DISCLOSURE: As I mentioned in a previous NC State of Business blog post, Guy’s book includes our “Manufacturing Makes It Real” Tour as an example of a good — and possibly even an “enchanting” — celebration. As a result of providing Guy with information related to the tour, I finagled a review copy of the book. Make of that what you will.
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