How to Move Minds and Influence People

What happens next? Act 1 Your difference In this first section, we concentrate on the importance of story structure as a way of understanding your life and purpose. We look at three protaganists form major US films - Erin Brokovitvh, American Beauty and The Shawshank Redemption - to understand the basics of being a protaganist. You are interesting to yourself and of interest of others only when you are prepared to risk and make choices in pursuit of a value bigger than you. Act 1 delivers a succession of insights and tools to help you articulate your 'active value' Protagonists in action Erin Brokovitch Justice Lester Burnham Freedom Andy Dufresne Survival How stories work How stories make sense of life The basic structure of a story -- plot, event, choice, consequence, truth The protagonist You and your storyLiving your story The core elements What's thickening your plot? The story work out Act 2 What happens next? In Act 2 we look at the way you create change through the use of story as a means of influence. We review a number of stories that help create and sustain influence, 'set piece' stories that can help you in particular situations. We close with a reminder of the difference you want to make, closing with a reprise of the stories of great protaganists, and the essentially human qualities that make them what they are. Stories you need A collection of examples and stories that work Work outs The interview The proposal The pitch The appraisal The negotiation And? Getting a response Curtain Making a difference

Iain Carruthers graduated from Wadham College, Oxford. He holds a Masters in Organisational Consulting from Ashridge. He is founder of The Encounter Business (www.encounterbusiness.com), a change agency specializing in making brands useful to business. Until 2003, Iain was a Director at Interbrand, having previously worked as a consultant and marketer in the UK and USA. He is a frequent conference speaker and business commentator, appearing on Radio 4 and CNN. He shares a home in London with three women, although two of them are under six.