| Become An Influential Conversationalist
How do you persuade someone to do something? Do you rely on your authority over them? Do you “sell, sell, sell,” with benefits statements and other marketing techniques? Do you cater to logic and set up rock solid arguments? Or do you show unwavering persistence in your position and stick with it until others agree that you are right?
All of these approaches can be tempting, but they’re not always the most effective means of persuasion. Jay Conger, an Organizational Behaviour professor, presented a very different view of persuasion. He said that to be persuasive you must provide four critical elements:
Credibility…Common Ground…Vivid Evidence…Emotional Connection
Persuasion. It’s about getting to shared understanding and agreement. From there you work together to reach a mutually beneficial outcome.
Managers need to be good persuaders. They need to accomplish objectives through people. They could choose to bully, dictate, or coerce people to get the work done, but how successful would that be in the long run? If they use persuasion effectively, they will lead employees to want to reach a shared solution.
Likewise, in any situation where you need to persuade someone to work with you or you want to promote your idea, if you badger them and sell excessively, you’ll only create resentment. Establishing mutual understanding is what leads to an agreement; one that is negotiated not forced.
Persuasion Dos and Don’ts
To develop effective powers of persuasion there are essentially four things you must do and four things you must not do.
Do Establish Credibility
Not everyone can be persuasive in all contexts. A professor at a high-profile medical school has the potential to persuade people to participate in a clinical study, for example. This type of credibility is based on expertise. When you are perceived as knowledgeable and experienced with, a particular subject, you are more persuasive.
The other basis for building credibility is through relationships. When you have built a reputation for taking a genuine interest in the well-being of your team and peers, your proposals and ideas are infused with that trust as well.
Do Find Common Ground
The next necessary element is making sure your position appeals to the audience.
Establishing common ground is the closest you will get to “selling” your idea. There has to be an upside to your position so you need to determine what the benefits are. One of the most effective ways to do this is to analyse what has appealed to your audience in the past.
- Figure out what your audience is interested in, listen to their ideas and concerns; and
- Run your ideas past people you trust first.
If you can’t offer a clear benefit then you need to modify your position or proposal so that there is one.
Do Produce Vivid Evidence
By now you are probably wondering where the proof part of the equation is. of course, you have to back up your position with evidence that what you are saying makes sense.
Having evidence to support your position is critical.
- Supplement data with examples and direct experiences.
- Think of analogies to make your ideas tangible.
This type of experiential proof is what causes shifts in people’s perspectives and allows them to “see” the situation through the eyes of others who support what you are doing.
Do Create an Emotional Connection
Finally, no persuasive argument is complete unless you appeal to your audience’s emotions. Some people think an emotional pitch has little credibility. This may mean showing emotions (enthusiasm and passion) or it may mean suppressing them (anger and frustration).
- Sense the emotions of the audience – adjust your tone and intensity to fit your audience.
Emotions are primary factors in motivation and decision-making. As much as we’d like to be totally objective, it just doesn’t happen.
With the four Dos in hand, you must also be aware of the four classic Don’ts. Each is a common misconception about how to persuade, so it’s important you are able to avoid them and recognize them when they are being used on you.
Don’t Rely Only on a Great Argument
An argument is one component of persuasion. One or two strong arguments can be used as evidence that your idea is good, but you need to connect those arguments to emotion, and make them real by creating powerful images of what things would be like if people adopted your viewpoint.
Don’t Make a Hard Sales Pitch
Everyone knows the hard-sell game. We are faced with every time we go to make a major purchase like a car or home furnishings. What’s the first thing you do in those situations? You get your back up and you resist, argue.
Turn the situation around and make your presentation appealing
Don’t Take an “All or Nothing” Stance
Persuasion isn’t about forcing someone to surrender to your will. There are many points of compromise and collaboration between your position and a shared agreement.
Don’t … Believe You Have Only One Chance
Persuasion can take time to build. Many times, you will not win people over with your first attempt. People need time to process and assimilate what you are saying.
<— Key Points
Persuasion is an art form. To be good at it takes a great deal of understanding and practice. At its core is the ability to relate to people and adopt their point of view.
When you commit to listening to people, create propositions that have value and appeal, and remain flexible throughout the process. Then you’ll be in a great position to use your powers of persuasion.
Remember, being persuasive means motivating people to do something you want them to do, which in the end, they want to do too. Show them what’s in it for them, and do it in a way that is genuine and affective.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, or hover on web link below, press control and click to go to my website.
Continued Success
Sheena |
