Why Don't You Want What I Want?: Book Review

by Rick Maurer

How to win support for your idea without hard sell, manipulation or power plays.

So what's the secret? How do you win support and get results?

When you only pay attention to the idea you are trying to sell, you run the risk of alienating others and creating show-stopping resistance. Maurer suggests that the secret to influencing others over the long haul requires equal attention to the idea and the other person.

One of the keys is learning to look at your ideas through three lenses: do they get it? do they like it? do they trust it? All three are critically important to your success. If the answer is "no" to any of these questions, you'll face opposition.

You'll learn to pinpoint why people might be confused or resist your idea. Drawing on psychology, management, principled negotiation, actor's training in improv, mediation, and the thinking of Martin Buber, author Rick Maurer present six principles of engagement that will show you how to change confusion or resistance into support and turn your ideas into action. The book is filled with practical tools you can apply today.

Insightful interviews with Sentaor George Mitchell, actor and director Alan Alda, SPIN Selling author, Neil Rackham, Mariah Burton Nelson, author of The Unburdened Heart; and noted therapist and author Lynne Jacobs complement Maurer's approach.