I assume if you're asking, you've likely already read "How to Win Friends and Influence People". If not, do so.<p>One of the themes in it is how listening is a skill and applying it is one of the most powerful ways to influence people because it conveys to people, "I have an understanding of your concerns. When I advocate a course of action, I've done the work to take these concerns into account and evaluate trade-offs with them. You can trust me on this."<p>Books which also discuss the skill of listening include:<p>* Difficult Conversations, by the Harvard Negotiation Project<p>* Thanks for the Feedback, by the Harvard Negotiation Project<p>* and a bit of Decisive, by Chip & Dan Heath<p>Though the other things it says about decision-making processes are likely more useful, since persuasion involves influencing decision-making<p>Lastly, because both listening and persuasion both kinda depend on forming a good Theory of Mind, I'll recommend Thinking Fast and Slow. It is a bit farther-removed from your question, but also very generally useful.