40 Years of Influence Joe Polish's Special Interview with Dr. Robert Cialdini

·37 min·3 clips

Warren Buffett turned to an empty chair and said 'Charlie' to 47,000 silent people at the Berkshire meeting.

The episode features a special interview with Dr. Robert Cialdini conducted by Joe Polish at a Genius Network event. Cialdini begins by explaining a three-part listening technique for influencing skeptical people: giving undivided attention, taking notes, and asking non-evaluative questions. He then shares recent research findings, including that star ratings between 4.2 and 4.7 convert better than perfect 5-star ratings because they appear more authentic. Cialdini discusses the difference between modern influencers seeking fame and true influencers like Warren Buffett, who builds trust by acknowledging mistakes in shareholder letters. He recounts attending a Berkshire Hathaway meeting where Buffett turned to an empty chair and said 'Charlie,' referencing his deceased partner Charlie Munger, creating a powerful moment of silence among 47,000 attendees. The conversation covers practical applications of influence principles, including using sunrise imagery to trigger change motivation and the '3-2-1' countdown method to overcome fear. Cialdini advises checking online reviews to protect against manipulation in the AI age. He shares Benjamin Franklin's technique of borrowing books to turn rivals into allies. When asked about regrets, Cialdini says he would have written 'Influence' three years earlier but delayed due to fear before getting tenure at Arizona State University. The interview concludes with Cialdini's wife Bobette joining on stage, where they discuss relationship advice centered on giving grace and earning love through generosity.

As heard by us

Dr. Cialdini treats influence as something earned through listening and generosity.

Joe Polish's conversation with Dr. Robert Cialdini presents influence as something earned through listening. Its strongest section is practical: give people full attention, take notes as they speak, and ask non-evaluative questions so objections can surface before anyone gets…

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Why you'd press play

If your approach starts with talking, this one pushes you to listen first.

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