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  • Messengers: Who We Listen To, Who We Don't, and Why

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Messengers: Who We Listen To, Who We Don't, and Why Kindle Edition

by Stephen Martin (Author), Joseph Marks (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars (146)
"In the age of fake news, understanding who we trust and why is essential in explaining everything from leadership to power to our daily relationships." -Sinan Aral We live in a world where proven facts and verifiable data are freely and widely available. Why, then, are self-confident ignoramuses so often believed over thoughtful experts? And why do seemingly irrelevant details such as a person's appearance or financial status influence whether or not we trust what they are saying, regardless of their wisdom or foolishness? Stephen Martin and Joseph Marks compellingly explain how in our uncertain and ambiguous world, the messenger is increasingly the message. We frequently fail, they argue, to separate the idea being communicated from the person conveying it, explaining why the status or connectedness of the messenger has become more important than the message itself. Messengers influence business, politics, local communities, and our broader society. And Martin and Marks reveal the forces behind the most infuriating phenomena of our modern era, such as belief in fake news and how presidents can hawk misinformation and flagrant lies yet remain.
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  1. Print length
    274 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    PublicAffairs
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    October 15, 2019
  6. File size
    7.0 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"In the age of fake news, understanding who we trust and why is essential to explaining everything from leadership to power to our daily relationships. With Messengers, Stephen Martin and Joseph Marks have given us the definitive book on the subject. Illuminating and entertaining, it helps us understand who we follow and why we follow them, in politics, business, and everyday life."―Sinan Aral, David Austin Professor of Management at MIT and author of the forthcoming The Hype Machine

"Whenever we listen to a presentation, scroll through social media, or glance at the television, the question-Whom should we believe? -confronts us. Martin and Marks marshal an array of evidence to deliver a clear, compelling, and sometimes disturbing answer. Some books help us become better citizens. Others help us perform better at our jobs. This remarkable book somehow manages to do both. Messengers is an essential read for everyone."―Daniel H. Pink, author of When, Drive, and A Whole New Mind

"A powerful, profoundly illuminating exploration of one of the most important subjects of our time. Martin and Marks have a terrific talent for combining evidence and research with lively and vivid writing. Trust these messengers!"―Cass R. Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor, Harvard University, and author of Conformity

"Engaging, informative, and entertaining. It will change the way you think about who you follow and take advice from."―Tali Sharot, University College London, author of The Optimism Bias and The Influential Mind

"Messengers is a tour de force on this crucial topic. Thoroughly researched and timely, I can't think of any book that makes such a compelling case for the role and characteristics of the modern day messenger."―Robert Cialdini, author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

"Who do we believe, and why do we believe them? Messengers explains why we listen to the powerful-and sometimes the not so powerful-and what distinguishes the messengers we listen to from the ones we don't. A book that's as entertaining as it is timely and important."―Adam Alter, New York University, author of Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked

"Robust....Messengers is useful in that it's designed to help consumers and citizens understand when they're being manipulated and take steps to resist."
―Harvard Business Review

"Almost everyone has had the experience of not being taken seriously -- even when their message was serious, founded on fact and relevant to the audience. You can get frustrated, or you can read Messengers: Who We Listen To, Who We Don't, and Why."―Small Business Trends

About the Author

Stephen Martin, the CEO of the consulting and training company Influence at Work, works with companies around the world. Based in London, he visits the United States frequently and in 2019 will lead a new executive education program in behavioral science at Columbia University Business School. He is also a guest lecturer on executive education programs at Harvard Business School, the London School of Economics, and the Judge Business School at Cambridge University,. He is the co-author of Yes! 50 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion, which has sold over a million copies internationally and been translated into 26 languages. Steve writes a regular business column, "Persuasion," for the British Airways inflight magazine and contributes to Harvard Business Review's prestigious 'Breakthrough Ideas for Business' list. Steve's work has been featured in broadcast and print media across the world, including BBC TV and Radio, MSNBC, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Wired, The London Times, Sunday Telegraph, and the Guardian.


Joseph Marks is an associate consultant with Influence at Work and a doctoral candidate working jointly at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University College London. His research and studies have been published in both academic journals and The New York Times, Bloomberg and the Harvard Business Review.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07MLRC69J
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ PublicAffairs
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 15, 2019
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Illustrated
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 7.0 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 274 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1541724396
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Best Sellers Rank: #2,666,650 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars (146)

About the authors

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  1. Steve J. Martin

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  2. Joseph Marks

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    Joseph Marks is a doctoral researcher at University College London and visiting researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His work has been published in academic journals, as well as The New York Times, The Guardian and the Harvard Business Review.

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
146 global ratings
Find out why people listen to you...or why they might not
5 out of 5 stars
Find out why people listen to you...or why they might not
With more than 30 years in business I know from experience what Steve and Joseph write about in Messengers true. Two people can say the very same thing and get very different results. Coming from the mouth of one person a message may fall on deaf ears but from another that same message changes the world! Why? This book helps you understand that it's more than what's communicated, it's who is communicating. I saw this play out during my career. Often I had the right message but chose to give it to the right messenger. Why did I do that? Because I knew coming from the right person it would have the biggest impact for the organization. The authors don't just leave you with an understanding of why; they give you the how. They tell you how you can become a messenger more people listen to. Who should read this book? It's good for anyone who wants to be more influential but it's critically important for salespeople, coaches and leaders in every field to read Messengers if they want to create widespread change.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Briana
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good book
    Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2023
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Great condition
    Helpful
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  • Patrik L
    4.0 out of 5 stars Breaks down the simplicity/complexity of listnerd
    Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Good for anybody. Especially people who fail to get their point across. Offers context to our simplistic/pre-wired world view through numerous real world examples and data --> there is a reason why things are how they are...
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • BJG
    5.0 out of 5 stars For Anyone Who Uses Words
    Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2019
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Extremely clear and valuable explanation of how the various qualities of the messenger changes the impact of the message.
    4 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Jesse Scheller
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great content
    Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2025
    Format: Audiobook
    Great book
    Helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Messengers matter, messengers are key, beware of messengers! :-)
    Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2019
    Format: Kindle
    Well organized and insightful, this book is deftly packaged focusing on who we listen to, who we don’t and why. In an ever-increasingly over-crowded shrill world where competing interests and their backers are jockeying for our attention and vote - whether it’s on a product, service, or person - who carries “the message” is key. What drives us to suspend rational thinking and facts and be swayed by those influencers/messengers deployed to coax us into believing that which may or may not be true. It’s the messenger, stupid! Stephen Martin and Joseph Marks walk us through the many ways in which we are influenced by messengers - based on a multitude of factors.With specific examples and data points, the authors break down for us how we are susceptible to the messages conveyed by artful messengers regardless of what’s fact or fiction. No matter how discerning we are, we are all influenced by warmth and charisma, trustworthiness and vulnerability. We are impressed by competence and socio-economic position, swayed by attractiveness. This is an interesting and well written book, reinforcing what we may already know and shedding new light on what we may not with cited research. Messengers matter, messengers are key, beware of messengers! :-) A recommended read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
    8 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Brian Ahearn
    5.0 out of 5 stars Find out why people listen to you...or why they might not
    Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2019
    Format: Kindle
    With more than 30 years in business I know from experience what Steve and Joseph write about in Messengers true. Two people can say the very same thing and get very different results. Coming from the mouth of one person a message may fall on deaf ears but from another that same message changes the world! Why? This book helps you understand that it's more than what's communicated, it's who is communicating.
    I saw this play out during my career. Often I had the right message but chose to give it to the right messenger. Why did I do that? Because I knew coming from the right person it would have the biggest impact for the organization.
    The authors don't just leave you with an understanding of why; they give you the how. They tell you how you can become a messenger more people listen to.
    Who should read this book? It's good for anyone who wants to be more influential but it's critically important for salespeople, coaches and leaders in every field to read Messengers if they want to create widespread change.
    Customer image
    Brian Ahearn
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Find out why people listen to you...or why they might not

    Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2019
    With more than 30 years in business I know from experience what Steve and Joseph write about in Messengers true. Two people can say the very same thing and get very different results. Coming from the mouth of one person a message may fall on deaf ears but from another that same message changes the world! Why? This book helps you understand that it's more than what's communicated, it's who is communicating.
    I saw this play out during my career. Often I had the right message but chose to give it to the right messenger. Why did I do that? Because I knew coming from the right person it would have the biggest impact for the organization.
    The authors don't just leave you with an understanding of why; they give you the how. They tell you how you can become a messenger more people listen to.
    Who should read this book? It's good for anyone who wants to be more influential but it's critically important for salespeople, coaches and leaders in every field to read Messengers if they want to create widespread change.
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    10 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Ell9677
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2019
    Format: Hardcover
    Messengers: Who We Listen To, Who We Don't, and Why, is an insightful, engrossing and educative book. In the 21st century we find ourselves impacted more and more by influencers. We look to individuals we perceive as prominent and dynamic and take our social, professional, political and consumer cues from them. But how exactly does an individual gain the power to have influence over us, even when perhaps they should not? Why do some people with expertise, knowledge and good intentions get largely ignored despite their competence and proficiency? The logic and salience of the message, it turns out, is not nearly as important as the messenger. The messenger becomes inexorably linked to the message. Because the messenger conveys social context that the message does not, the messenger effectively overshadows the message itself. On both macro and micro levels, messages get lost or inflated by the very messengers that carry them. Martin and Marks examine eight crucial traits that shape effective messengers and largely determine the communicative hierarchy. Five stars.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • TR
    2.0 out of 5 stars Shallow rehash of better research by Gladwell and Cialdini.
    Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2020
    Format: Hardcover
    If you've read Cialdini and Gladwell, you can skip this shallow attempt at repeating the deeper, more insightful and useful information shared by the aforementioned two other authors. In Messengers, Marks and Stephen provide their theories in shallow and overly presumptuous ways which would probably annoy the more well read and well versed reader and student of human behavior and psychology. Maybe I have read too many of these books by better researchers and authors. If I could return this book and get my money back I would. But it's too much trouble to return it. So I am recycling it. Save your money and read Cialdini, Gladwell, Csikszentmihalyi, Gardner, instead.
    14 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • L Simpson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Groundbreaking insights
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 21, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    A fascinating book that reveals groundbreaking insights around why we are influenced more by certain people delivering a message over others, even if those messages are the same! Essential reading for any leader, entrepreneur, politician or communications specialist... or anyone interested in the unusual political times we are living in! It's very solidly researched, well written, and an enjoyable read!
    One person found this helpful
     Report
  • Vikrama D.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good Book
    Reviewed in India on May 9, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This is a good book. More a 101 on the topic. What would have made it great for me was if the book delved into more complex situations like how can you appear connected, dominant in a tough situation. Messengers don't start with zero. They also start with a negative. That's perhaps on the new edition. Enjoyed reading it. Made tonnes of notes too.
    Report
  • Francis Shaw
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read
    Reviewed in Germany on February 22, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed this book. It's good for all of us to reflect often on who we listen to and why as it can identify where and why we might be stuck or present new opportunities for consideration. It would have been interesting if the author had also included a chapter on what we listen to within ourselves based on our experiences. Perhaps the next book!
    Report
  • Aurelien
    3.0 out of 5 stars Nothing really new and difficult to read
    Reviewed in Germany on February 26, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    After reading the book I still don't quite know what to think about the book. It is undeniably well researched, the topic is very interesting .... but .... I found it:
    1- not really well written. Many studies are compiled, I didn't however see or could read the "red line". Sentences are over-complicated, maybe a category of why some messages are being read and others not is missing in this book: simplicity
    2- not bringing any new stuff on the table. I should habe read the content table before buying it and I would have saved a few hours of reading.

    It's still a 3* to me probably because I have other recent bad reads on my mind, otherwise it would probably have ranked in my personal list even below.
    Report
  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Goos insight into Messenger Effects
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 8, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    An interesting read. We'll researched any referenced with many interesting stories to add flavour to what could otherwise be dry content.
    Particularly enjoyed the discussion on charisma. Will definifly be referring back to this.
    Report
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