I really didn't expect to like this book -- I've observed a lot of clowning on people who very obviously use techniques from the book. (And one of my own pet peeves is when someone uses my name too often in a conversation!) But I picked this book up out of a need for strategies in dealing with difficult people and I thought it had some valuable insights. Honestly, a lot of the points in the book come down to genuinely caring about and wanting to get to know other people. I thought the book fell flat at points where it pivoted away from authenticity, like stoking the egos of powerful people to get them on your side.