01/08/2026
The most powerful communicators aren't always the most ethical ones.
After years coaching executives on presence and influence, I wrote ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ค๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐! ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐จ! 95 documented strategies from the most studied communicator of our time, written entirely in his voice. (hence the title typo and intentional skips in numbers, just like Trump Tower skips floor numbers.)
๐ ๐ฐ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ญ๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ . The same techniques I teach for building authentic influence โ charisma, confidence, storytelling โ were being weaponized. And working.
๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค ๐ข๐ฌ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ '๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐'. ๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง ๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
We โ as voters, boards, and consumers โ consistently choose showmanship over substance. Confidence over competence. Then we act shocked when it doesn't deliver.
๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ง๐๐ฐ. In the 1800's P.T. Barnum, the 'OG of BS', built an empire on the "humbug" - spectacular lies sold as entertainment. A hundred years ago I may have written about Senator Huey "The Kingfish" Long or the era's emerging dictators (Mussolini, Stalin, Hi**er).
Today, Elizabeth Holmes raised billions on fake blood tests. Sam Bankman-Fried built FTX on stolen funds while cultivating the "genius appearance myth"โ that revolutionary thinkers must look like disheveled 12-year-olds in cargo shorts and t-shirts.
๐ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฉ ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ก๐'๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ. Every tactic performed in public is fully sourced. He's stripped persuasion down to its rawest, most shameless form; which makes him perfect for analysis.
The book uses his own words, actions, and documented outcomes to show ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ธ these tactics work and ๐ธ๐ฉ๐บ they succeed. Then asks you to examine your own judgment: What are you willing to excuse? ๐พ๐๐๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐?
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ:
1. The tactics work because we let them. Every lie believed is a failure of critical thinking.
2. Communication skills are amoral. The same tools that inspire can deceive.
3. Pattern recognition is a survival skill. Once you recognize these tactics, you can't unsee them.
If you've ever wondered why don't facts seem to matter anymore? How do people get away with obvious contradictions? Why do I keep falling for the same pitch? This book won't make you feel better. But it will make you harder to fool.
Because the next person using these tactics might not tweet. They might sit in your C-suite, pitch their startup, or run for office in your state.
๐๐ง๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ.
๐๐ฏ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฆ๐๐ณ๐จ๐ง - https://lnkd.in/gsP8aXyF
