Category: Book Executive Summaries

The Secret Dealings for Trump Tower

Chapter Seven of Trump’s The Art of the Deal goes into detail about the dealing required to make his famous Trump Tower possible.

Trump built his mixed-use building by combining various deals and city regulations. “Trump Tower” by Jorge Láscar

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Trump’s Real Estate Coups during Manhattan’s Budget Crisis

Put yourself in the action.

That’s how Donald Trump made his first real estate deals in Manhattan.

In 1971, Trump moved into a Manhattan apartment. He began to learn the city and it’s real estate. He talked his way into a club membership at Le Club, where he has the opportunity to rub elbows with future business associates. As a non-drinker, Trump figured he had an advantage in business when he saw how hard the Manhattanites drank. (more…)
What Donald Trump learned from his dad Fred

In Chapter Three of The Art of the Deal, Donald Trump introduces us to his father Fred Trump. (more…)
“I aim very high, and then I just keep pushing”

Not everyone is born a deal-maker, Trump warns us. Some people have the instincts, and some don’t. Even if someone has the instincts, they may never get off their couch to try something more ambitious. People are afraid to take chances and that holds them back.

I think we can agree that Trump has been in business for a very long time. He probably knows a thing or two about deals.

“Trump Tower” by Tripp, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

Chapter two of The Art of the Deal covers Trump’s approach to deal making.

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“I do it to do it.”
Trump’s Art of the Deal

I started PersuasionReadingList.com after being continually impressed with Scott Adams’ ability to see the future. It’s fitting that I start my next pick on President Trump’s 100th day in office.

Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal covers a week in Trump’s real estate development business, while also telling wide-ranging stories about his business dealing. First published in 1987, it’s fascinating to read about the development of New York real estate and Trump’s own style of negotiation.

The man is incredibly lucky to come across some of the deals he has. That, or he knows how to play his cards, and he wrote the book on it. (more…)
Lies and the Limbic Brain

Think about a time when you pretended to continue an uncomfortable conversation as you moved into another room. Sure, you could still talk back and forth, but it was more difficult. Another item soon occupied your focus, which ended the exchange.

Discomfort rules your limbic brain. That limbic lizard brain inside is what moves your body to a safer room when you’re uncomfortable.

I found myself doing exactly this earlier last week. Fleeing the scene of an accidental argument. (more…)
Reading the Confidence Tells of the Face

We’ve trained our faces to lie.

Social order depends on the cooperation of people to accomplish tasks, people that may not otherwise get along. From the Great Wall of China to your office this week, we’ve all put on a happy face to make a situation less confrontational. If you’re looking for truth, the face is one of the least likely places to find it.

Is this smile real or fake? How do you know? Image “t smile” by halbag, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

It makes life easier for everyone.

The face is controlled by 43 muscles, adding up to a wide variety of expressions! Even if we can control our facial muscles to an extent, our limbic system still reacts. It’s difficult for most people to maintain a mask covering their true emotions, (more…)
Confidence Tells of the Hands

Our hands help tell our stories.

Old scars. Class rings. Emphatic speeches to the masses! Insert rude gesture here!

Thumbs Up is a display of confidence. Image “/approve” by hobvias sudoneighm, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

Before spoken language, our hands described the large monsters in the forest. Hands are used to protect the tribe, signalling for silence. They’re used to show gratitude and love.

As a result, we’ve learned to pay special attention to hands. They’re humanity’s primary form of communication. They’re extremely useful in persuasion.

Because our brain naturally is drawn to watching hands, (more…)
Keep ’em at Arm’s Length

Imagine the last argument you had. You were convinced of your position. There’s no way the other person was right.

They thought the same about your argument, of course.

I’d be willing to bet at least one of you crossed your arms in front of yourself to block the very ideas being spoken.

Arms are one of our most expressive forms of communication. They’re used to build trust and rapport, as we’ll see. They’re used for defense. They’re used to communicate effectively at work.

Imagine the college professor, using her arms to focus our attention to different parts of her presentation. Lawyers use their arms to emphasize their points. Traffic cops use their arms to direct the flow around them.

We are naturally inclined to watch people’s arms — so much that illusionists and pickpockets take advantage of this to misdirect our attention.

In addition to emphasizing our speech, sudden changes in our arms also communicate our limbic reactions to our surroundings.

Image “Put your hands up in the air” by Thomas Leuthard, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

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Never Let Your Guard Down:
Confidence Tells of the Torso

“And that’s when I walked in.”

You put down your spoon, absentmindedly. You’re absorbed into the conversation. You lean in, waiting for more details.

Our body language says so much. We’ve all seen someone’s shoulders drop at discouraging news. We’ve all leaned away from someone’s unpleasant tone of voice. (more…)