No.

It's such a simple word, really. Just two small letters, one short syllable. It's easily spelled and easily uttered. You barely even have to move your lips to say it. It can be made to sound like a shot or like a caress, so versatile it is.

Unfortunately, it's the one word you hate the most to hear.

So how can you change that tiny word into something more positive? You may get help by kNOwing what's in Persuasion IQ, by Kurt W. Mortensen.

Persuasion IQ, by Kurt W. Mortensen (read in audio by Jim Bond); c.2008, Amacom, $23.95; 323 pages; c.2008, Brilliance Audio; $35.95; 7 CDs, approx. 8 hours.

So much has been written about EQ, or emotional quotient. You know what an IQ is. But Mortensen says that your PQ, or persuasion quotient, is important too, and not just in business.

A high PQ can help you "read" people in an instant. Your relationships will flourish and people will trust you sooner if you nurture your PQ.

Before you hone that PQ, though, you should learn the obstacles you might encounter.

Fear of rejection will stymie you, as will lack of preparation. Not understanding why people reject you will torpedo your persuasion skills. Being motivated by desperation is a big obstacle; people hate desperation.

Not surprisingly, persuasion skills work best when the "inner you" is in top form. Good persuaders have high self-esteem and are accountable for their mistakes as well as their successes. They're happy, reliable, and they keep good habits. They're careful to match their appearance to their target.

But can you be a persuader?

Yes.

Learn how your audience thinks, learn to listen, and be empathetic. Gain rapport, thereby gaining trust. To keep that trust, be accountable and cultivate what Mortensen calls the "Five Cs of Trust": Character, competence, confidence, credibility and congruence.

Project authority on your subject. Motivate, communicate, anticipate, and you may never hear "no" again.

Unless you're talking about this audiobook.

Do you multi-task by listening to CDs while driving? You can't do that with Persuasion IQ in audio.

There's so much to catch, so many points to remember, and too many cluttering "fables" to get the full impact of what author Mortensen wants you to learn.

Even worse, since you need to pay attention to the road, you can't do the exercises or take notes, and if a distraction causes you to miss even a minute of the audiobook, it's easy to get confused. But I got both the book and the CD. Let's compare.

Persuasion IQ in book form contains the same formulas and exercises. The same clutter is here, but at least you can use a pen and paper without causing an accident.

Once I had it in my hands, though, I noticed that there's an awful lot of repetition in it as well as plenty of read-it-before, know-it-well common sales sense.

If you feel that you truly have no persuasion skills, the book can only be helpful. If you absolutely, positively must listen to it, be sure you're stationary when you do.

If you're an old hand at sales, though, save the money and just say "no."

(Terri Schlichenmeyer can be reached at schlichenmeyer@businessedge.ca)