“Enchantment” by Guy Kawasaki

Posted by Dan McDade

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on Apr 3, 2012 6:43:00 AM

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Enchantment by Guy KawasakiI am an avid reader, but I have to admit to reading more novels than non-fiction. However, there was something about the description of Guy Kawasaki’s book, Enchantment that intrigued me. So, I ordered it and read it in just a couple of sittings.

I liked the book because it is well written, enlightening, personal and has an intimacy I find missing in many business books.

Here are some highlights:

Guy hit me between the eyes with the following: “The world will not beat a path to your door for an insanely great mousetrap. In fact, the greater the mousetrap, the more difficult it is to get people to embrace it because it is so different from what people are used to.” The more I thought about this the more I felt the book had application to my business and probably every business.

He followed this with another thought. Apple failed to sell Macintoshes (in the 1980’s) because “… we did not understand what potential customers were thinking. Indeed, we believed they should leave the thinking to us.”

In the second chapter of his book Guy talks about likeability. He states that “a magnificent cause can overcome a prickly personality, but why make things harder?”

What creates a good impression (and enhances your likeability)? “Four factors create a good one: your smile, your dress, your handshake, and your vocabulary.” Heck, this should be required reading for every new college graduate.

He talks about pursuing your passions as a way of making yourself enchanting. This leads to a discussion about understanding others’ passions. Negotiating, as an example, becomes easier when you understand your counterpart's passion and can find common ground outside the boundaries of your negotiation.

He concludes one chapter by writing: “… heroes, mensches, and simply likable and trustworthy people are enchanting, and if you want to enchant others, you need to aspire to these attributes, too. Another thing I like about Guy is that he uses as many commas in his writing as I do!

Guy Kawasaki

At about the middle of the book Guy offers another pearl of wisdom that came from Derek Silvers, founder of CD Baby. He quotes Silvers: “the first follower is what transforms the lone nut into a leader.”

I don’t want to give away the book, but the last tidbit I will recount here is a chance meeting Guy had with Sir Richard Branson, chairman of the Virgin Group. They were sitting in the speaker’s lounge at a conference when Mr. Branson asked Guy whether or not he ever flew Virgin. Guy explained that he was a United Airlines customer. “At that point, he (Richard) got down on his hands and knees and gave me a shoeshine with his coat, and since then my first choice for any route that Virgin America flies is that airline.” Richard was, obviously, enchanting.

At just over 200 pages the book completely satisfies without being overwhelming. I recommend it.

 

By Dan McDade


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