The Little Book of Yes

All other things being equal, in a competitive situation with three or more candidates, try to arrange to go last.

When dining with friends, encourage more conversation by agreeing to place mobile phones in the centre of the table. Whoever looks at their phone first (a sign that a Facebook update or tweet is more important than the people at the table) pays for dinner!

Practise ‘introducing yourself’ in front of a mirror – remember eye contact and a genuine smile.

Next time you are on a plane, a bus or at conference and the person next to you isn’t looking down at their phone or otherwise occupied, try saying ‘hello’.

that people often carry the belief that others are somehow slightly less human than they are

When it comes to successful influence, it’s good to talk

Next time you want something – ask for it.

Remember that a short sting of possible embarrassment is a small price to pay compared to the lingering ache of ‘if only’.

Over a week, keep a record of the numbers of ‘Yeses’ and ‘Nos’ your direct requests receive – you’ll soon notice the impact of asking.

Sometimes getting what we want is less about persuading, and more a matter of just asking