REVIEW: Stephen McGarvey — Ignite a Shift (BOOK)
What Stephen McGarvey’s Ignite a Shift: Engaging Minds, Guiding Emotions and Driving Behavior may not have in terms of topical originality, it more than makes up for in terms of conciseness and fresh, communicative quality. McGarvey writes on what I call the ideological ‘transitional leadership model’ in a manner gripping the visceral qualities of the reader, not just their intellectual capacities. He has this certain kind of charisma, this kind of compelling nature proverbially almost making you feel like you’re engaged in some kind of in-depth conversation.
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/stephen.mcgarvey/?hl=en
This is reflected in things as simple as the book’s opening dedication, where McGarvey tonally maintains his house style. “I dedicate this book to my life and business partner Natalie Sarlo-McGarvey,” he christens. “We are truly opposite and inseparable sides of the same coin. I’m grateful that we committed to embarking together on this journey called life and, God willing, I look forward to having many more wonderful adventures and years to come. I love and value you very much. Thank you!”
Then, he writes, “No person is an island. Every day, we realize more and more how interconnected we all are, and how much we impact each other, both consciously and unconsciously. And each and every day, our individual success relies to some extent on our ability to persuade and influence others. In Ignite a Shift, we’ll embark on a journey together and explore at a deeper level the subtleties of how persuasion works, including the ways in which we influence ourselves and others.”
“On this journey, you will discover the importance of rapport as the foundation for persuasion and influence,” he adds. “…Throughout this book, I’ll present proven concepts regarding influence and introduce important distinctions and strategies to keep in mind when you are persuading others…(Regarding persuasion)…Is having all the facts at hand enough? While it’s certainly impressive, think of all the political candidates who rattle off fact after fact, then make a poor showing in the polls…All my life I had been taught and expected to absorb and then regurgitate knowledge; when I realized I could learn differently, that was when I was trans- formed from the child who had been terrible at reading and rarely had a book in his hand into a voracious and passionate reader.
Suddenly, I wanted more of this new body of knowledge. It evoked a deep sense of curiosity within me, and I wanted to explore how it could help me more effectively learn. I wanted to learn to think about thinking and to understand how people process and store information.”
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Ignite-Shift-Engaging-Emotions-Behavior/dp/1631958046
McGarvey’s willingness to make things personal is part of what elevates the read as a whole. There’s never the feeling he might not practice, or even just believe, in what he preaches. Everything just feels like a statistically-backed, straight truth. “Throughout this book you’ll learn many proven concepts and important ideas about persuasion and influence. And the first — and most crucial — is this…(Rapport),” McGarvey writes. “…I’ll also show you a simple process to apply this knowledge and create a shift within your own life and in your interactions with other people, whether they are your family, your colleagues, or your clients.”
Colin Jordan
