I use this book almost every day in my work and sometimes even in my life, I keep a couple of used copies in my workbag just in case the conversation about how to move others or selling comes up with someone.

It is accessible and easy to read. The concepts and lessons are so simple that they feel like common sense, yet when you start applying them to the way you work with others it becomes apparent that the skills require concerted effort to be effective. Things like asking someone where they are from to open a conversation or using interrogative self talk sound simple and yet you have to overcome several years of different behavior to really make it work.

I discovered this book 2 years into my sales job when I was questioning if it really was a fit for me, Pink's ideas presented to me that sales doesn't have to be slimy or forceful, in fact that is how you be BAD at sales. Ever since reading this book I have found a lot of joy in my work (10 years in sales now), I've been more successful and feel like I have made a positive difference in the lives of people I sell to and work with.

If you're looking for a book that will give you the ability to make millions of dollars, this isn't it. If you're looking for a book that helps you understand how persuasion and problem solving actually bring us together, this is a good one.

Well worth a read, given how cheap it is used and how short it is. This book is, in a word, Illuminating. ( )

I liked Pink's book Drive better. Was excited to read this, especially since I agreed with the premise and see "sales" as something I do all the time though I've never had a sales job title.

Not sure exactly what didn't sit well with me. Too many stories in the book, and not enough guidance? The whole book was story after story. Maybe it was too focused on the traditional negative salesperson image, and not enough on the new version of sales? Hmm.

In the end, I think the book would have been better if it hadn't anchored Pink's ideas around sales, but had used something that didn't have such a strong negative connotation. Maybe: "Changing others" "explaining value" "motivating the mind" "packaging ideas" (ok, I admit these are not awesome book titles, but you get my point) ( )

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13160622

I have watched all of Daniel Pink's "Crowd Control" on television. This series examines how to change the behavior of large groups of persons. Although I didn't find all of the techniques to my liking, I like the idea of using what we know about moving others to get them to behave differently.

In "To Sell is Human", Pink takes that concept, moving others, further, but focuses on what one person can do, usually in a one-on-one situation - like selling. His major point is that people engage in "selling" all the time. We sell ourselves, we sell our ideas, we sell actual products, we sell the ideas of others. In most cases, we can do it better.

Pink wants us to change our old ideas about selling. At times he stretches his new concept a bit far, in an effort to make a pithy point. For example, he takes the old selling "ABC" - Always Be Closing - and changes it to Attunement, Buoyancy, and Clarity. Just falls right off the tongue, right? No. It's ridiculous, even though the concepts behind the words do make sense. He moves on from those three to direct advice: creating a "pitch", improvising, and serving. Of them all, I found myself liking the "serve" direction best. Always be thinking how you can serve the "customer", whether she is literally a customer or not. I believe that this point of view can change not only how well you sell but also how you see yourself. If you can't see that what your selling will truly benefit someone else then you might want to look more closely at that product.

I felt the book had enough good insight and solid direction to warrant giving a copy to my daughter, who is currently engaged in actual selling. It's easy to read, sometimes fun, and doesn't use a lot of words to get to the point. A good handbook. ( )

Short, concise, research backed. Following his tips we can become nicer humans, empathetic in our dealings, and enjoy ourselves more. You could even interpret this book as the modern day How to Win Friends and Influence People. ( )

Meh. Sub-Gladwell, post-facto, pseudo-wisdom. I don't read a lot of these kinds of books but our VP Sales recommended it. Some of it was semi-interesting, but a lot of it was nice anecdotes shoehorned into a creaky premise. ( )