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Did you know that the typical tactics for general influence situations often don’t work with powerful people? Whether you are an individual trying to influence up, or an organization who suffers from the “Goliath curse,” in The Underdog Edge (Morgan James) you’ll learn why being the underdog is an advantage when influencing up, and how to engage the edge for influence success. Amy Showalter is a grassroots persuasion pioneer. She has drawn on over twenty years of experience teaching organizations how to get powerful people on their side, as well as over 10 national research projects with thousands of underdog influencers and those who mobilize them to reveal the extreme influence tactics required for upward influence. Not content with only one side of the story, she also has interviewed the high-powered people whose minds were changed by an “ordinary” person. You’ll learn of over 30 behaviors deployed by successful underdog persuaders and how you can foster those behaviors in yourself, your stakeholders, and throughout your organization’s culture.

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“The Underdog Edge” is a remarkable book that sheds light on the advantages of being an underdog. I adore this book! It’s a must-read for anyone who aspires to make a positive impact on the world they inhabit. Author Amy Showalter not only teaches us how to thrive in everyday stressful situations but also guides us in persuading others to join our cause even when all hope seems lost. She emphasizes the importance of embracing the belief that achieving something we’ve never had often requires taking actions we’ve never done before. I feel incredibly privileged to work alongside Amy as a fellow faculty member at the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management where we share our professional experiences by teaching individuals how to effectively influence those higher up in their chains of command.

William Canary, J.D.
Former president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations and Business Council of Alabama
Author of LEAD ER SHIP; No Regrets. No Retreats.


“The Underdog Edge” was a lightning bolt to both my head and my high-achieving clients who need to master the art of influence. The techniques and stories clearly demonstrate how to harness the superpowers of the underdog. This book should be read by all who teach and coach emerging leaders.

Marcia Reynolds, PsyD, MCC
Past president of the International Coach Federation Author, Wander Woman: How High-Achieving Women Find Contentment and Direction


As someone who has taught courses in strategy and public policy for decades, I was thrilled to finally read a well-researched book that uniquely provides enterprises and individuals the persuasive, behavioral edges they will need to effectively manage and execute their advocacy in the public policy marketplace. Companies that can put her lessons into practice will be more influential and have more public policy-related success than those who choose to ignore them. The important “lessons” included herein are not taught in most university courses or classrooms, but rather are demonstrated in experience and practice, augmented by theory, and captured in rich context by veteran grassroots expert Amy Showalter.

Dr. Craig Fleisher, Dean of Business and Public Affairs
College of Coastal Georgia Co-Editor of the Sage Handbook of Public Affairs


This was one of the most valuable speeches l’ve ever heard. I’ve been in politics for three decades and wish she would have written this book 30 years ago.

Ronald Smith, Senior Vice President
Hospital Council of Northern & Central California


No matter what you do or who you do it with, you need to influence others to get the results you’re looking for. How do you do it when it seems like the other side holds all the cards? In this powerful book, Amy Showalter shows you how. The big surprise? Less can be more. Based on her years of experience and savvy, Amy explains why and how being the underdog can be a plus. We’re all underdogs sometime. Amy’s book is a must read if you want to use that status to get results.

Scott Eblin, author, The Next Level: What Insiders Know About Executive Success.


As a veteran lobbyist, I know that Amy has the pulse of what really matters when it comes to effective engagement in the legislative process. Her years of research with professional lobbyists, powerful interest groups and some of the most effective grassroots advocates in the nation gives her exclusive insights into what really works when influencing up. It’s required reading for anyone who needs to get powerful people on their side.

James Clarke, CAE Senior Vice President, Public Policy
American Society of Association Executives


As one who has written the book on guerilla marketing tactics, l identify with the principles in this book. I recommend it for anyone who needs to influence up the food chain. This book is a must read if you want to use that status to get results.

Mitch Meyerson, Founder of Guerrilla Marketing Coaching and author of 9 business/personal development books