Enchantment: a Guide on How to Enchant People by Guy Kawasaki

Enchantment.   A powerful, yet simple concept:
'to attract and delight'.   

After reading Guy Kawasaki's latest book, Enchantment, I have an enlightened new interpretation of the concept: enchantment is the art of persuading people - without necessarily engaging in the conscious effort of persuasion.    Call it what you will:  passive persuasion; persuasion for dummies; positive alignment or just generally "being nice"  - Guy is on to something here.   

And indeed, enchantment is something that Guy Kawasaki is good at.  In the book, he draws upon his experience of working along the front-lines in the early days at Apple, from his experience as a Silicon Valley VC, as highly paid speaker, and of course - as a long-time entrepreneur; and most perhaps most recently - the founder of Alltop.com.

The net result is a book jam packed with 'enchantment tactics' like the following gem...

The goal is to catalyze change: not to get your own way. Instead of thinking you have the answer and trying to implement, you should shut-up, sit back and find bright spots that are already working.

The book is uniquely structured with a set of core 'enchantment strategies' (chapters) such as "How to Achieve Likability", "How to Use Push Technology" and "How to Enchant Employees".   And throughout each one he drills into it with the reasoning and actionable tactics.    And that's what separates this from most typical business books; Guy doesn't beat around the bush: he shows you the way and how to do it. 

And heck, look at Guy! 
He's a pretty laid back dude.  His career has gone pretty smoothly to date.  These tactics are obviously working and have been working for him.

The goal of enchantment is long lasting change, not a one time sale or transaction.

A modernized version of How to Win Friends & Influence People

Throughout the book, it's evident that Guy has been influenced by Dale Carnegie's classic 'How to Win Friends & Influence People'.   And why not, this is perhaps the most powerful career-enhancing book of all time.  

Yet instead of a rehash, Guy's objective is more in line with that of a sequel: designed specifically for modern business people.  And not surprisingly, it's highly relevant for tech-entrepreneurs and nerds alike.    He includes key tactics for leveraging Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.    And strategies applicable to new startups: with chapters specifically on "How to Launch" and "How to Enchant Employees".

Guy walks the walk

Here's a funny story about Guy - and just how serious he is about the tactics he shares inEnchantment...

After receiving his book, I sent him a thank-you via email. Guy replied, "I know you'd do the same for me!". And I remember that clearly, because this unusual response made me take a step back for a second and think to myself… "yeah, I guess I would do the same!". It was a simple, but long lasting impression no doubt.

Anyway, while reading Guy's book, one of the tactical gems he shares really caught my attention. Sure enough, it was a tactic he used on me! 

"I know you'd do the same for me," is a much better response than "you're welcome".

Needless to say, I can attest first hand: his tactics work, and they work well. The book is filled with great tips like this one - along with key points of advice that alone justify buyingEnchantment ;) 

Closing Comments

Guy has achieved a fine balance with this book - of not going to the extreme by dissecting human psychological patterns - and also not filling it up with abstract fluff.     The book is actionable, yet - after you finish it - you'll find there is really is no action required because the tips, techniques, and insights he shares are for the most part, natural characteristics of friendliness and good business.  

I really enjoyed the layout and structure of the book.  With lists, bulletin points, lots of powerful quotes (heck, he even added quotes to the index section), sub-sections to each chapter, and a series of personal enchantment stories from different perspectives. Overall, it's a really nice flow and it's one of those books you'll have no problem cruising through over the course of an afternoon or two.   It's a delightful; enchanting read. 

Oh and one more thing: he includes a multiple choice test at the end of the book to test your enchantment skills. It's 'a fun little exercise you can do to test how good of an enchanter you really are'.

After reading the book, you can take the quiz at great.guykawasaki.com or on Facebook

Read this book to create a company as enchanting as Apple.

Steve Wozniak
Co-founder, Apple