Book excerpt: Many people are either uneasy or actually afraid of influencing or trying to persuade others on a range of topics. Public speaking remains one of the most feared activities, even for people who do not describe themselves as shy or quiet. This book will help readers overcome either the uneasiness or actual fear of influencing or persuading people to purchase, donate, join, vote, commit or perform a desired action or behavior, or to adopt a desired practice or belief through communicating with them in public. Eleven Steps to Getting What You Want helps the reader overcome fear and uneasiness when it comes to persuading others to alter their behaviors or beliefs by offering scientifically proven communication strategies and tactics with sample “scripts” that can easily be altered for various situations. But more than that, it offers a framework for determining that your tactics are ethical. While most of the strategies will support persuasion and influence in work settings, the principles and behaviors that are most effective can be adapted to personal and familial life as well. Charles Larson lays the groundwork for honing those skills that will assist readers most in achieving their goals.