How to Sell Yourself

Book Review: How to Sell Yourself,
by Arch Lustberg,
copyright 2002 Career Press

This book is a short and easy read made for those who are pushed into leadership or public presentation and immediately go stiff. It was a fantastic collection of helpful ideas that could change ones life immediately!

Here are my favorite pearls by Lustberg:
-We can only sell ourselves if we are judged to be 1) competent; and 2) likable.
-Competency is often judged by our 'minds' and speech pattern, and best accepted if we: --particularly if we 'pause' rather than use 'um' or 'uh' during our speech.
--are well prepared (e.g. short, quick and to the point)
--make eye or face contact
--avoid the 4 positions of 'no-no' hands (fig-leaf, pockets, behind back, or female figleaf) -Likability is often from mood or affect, and the 'Open face' countenance is the best way to achieve likability, much more than the stern, passive, or other faces we sometimes use.
--The Open Face is a caring face, and invites others to open up, and like us back. --Diaphragmatic breathing: relaxes the face, neck, shoulders, & slows the heartrate.
--when nervous, prepare and use the Open Face and diaphragmatic breathing in presentation.

There are 4 ways people respond to you:
1) they can like you
2) dislike you
3) be neutral to you
4) or feel sorry for you.

There are 3 views of others regarding a controversial subject and you:
1) they can agree with you
2) disagree with you
3) be undecided Here the Undecided group is the only one that matters, a true controversial subject is unlikely to sway groups who are already decided.

The opinion of the Undecided usually follows competenece and likability.
Your job is to convince the undecided.
Here are some pearls how to be like by the Uncommitted:
-- Pause before you answer. use diaphragmatic breathing.
-- Stay calm and reasonable.
-- Don't get angry
-- walk away from a situation first. -
- Refuse to take the attack personally.
-- Be positive.
-- give information rather than denials. Be explanatory and do not argue.
-- Take lots of time, be rational. Be the voice of reason. Be the good guy, Mr. Nice.
-- make intellectual love to your audience.

How to Control your temper when others disagree with you:
***** Use the 'Pause' to reframe their question in a way a decent person would ask it, then answer the right question, the one that should have been asked.


Mr. Lustberg did a fantastic collection of valuable techniques for any individual to improve professional relationships, sales, team leadership, public presentation, and takes the nervousness out of much of the interpersonal tasks we take on daily!
This is a great book for those who are good at work, and want to get better at teamwork and leading others. Thank you Arch!