Credibility = Trust + Expertise
Credibility is the cornerstone of persuasion. Without it, your audience won’t commit time or resources to considering your idea or proposal. Your credibility manifests itself on two levels:
Your ideas. Are your ideas sound? For example, does your notion for a new product make sense in light of current market conditions and business concerns? Have you thought through the ramifications?
You as a person. Are you believable? Trustworthy? Sincere? Have you proven yourself knowledgeable and well informed? For instance, if you’ve proposed a new product, do you have a solid understanding of its specifications, target markets, customers, and competition? Can others perceive that understanding?
Credibility can be expressed as this simple, powerful formula:
Credibility = Trust + Expertise
ACTION POINT: The more trust you earn and expertise you accumulate, the more credible you and your ideas become.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Ethical Considerations
“To be persuasive, we must be believable. To be believable, we must be credible. To be credible, we must be truthful.” – Edward R. Murrow
Persuasion is most effective when it’s based on mutual gain and ethical behaviors. Ethical persuaders recognize the opportunities for mutual gain inherent in any situation. They legitimately leverage these opportunities to create win-win solutions. They also consider the long-term implications of everything they do. They know that the unethical tactics can instantly destroy a reputation of trust and credibility built over years.
Unfortunately, some persuaders use unethical behaviors. They exploit opportunities to deceive and manipulate others. For them, persuasion is a contest in which they win—and you lose. Such individuals focus on closing the short-term deal. They don’t care how their behavior today might damage their reputation tomorrow. And they fail to build proposals based on mutual gain. In the long term, of course, these are losing strategies.
ACTION POINT: Avoid unethical behavior and focus on mutual gain and long term implications when using persuasion.
Persuasion is most effective when it’s based on mutual gain and ethical behaviors. Ethical persuaders recognize the opportunities for mutual gain inherent in any situation. They legitimately leverage these opportunities to create win-win solutions. They also consider the long-term implications of everything they do. They know that the unethical tactics can instantly destroy a reputation of trust and credibility built over years.
Unfortunately, some persuaders use unethical behaviors. They exploit opportunities to deceive and manipulate others. For them, persuasion is a contest in which they win—and you lose. Such individuals focus on closing the short-term deal. They don’t care how their behavior today might damage their reputation tomorrow. And they fail to build proposals based on mutual gain. In the long term, of course, these are losing strategies.
ACTION POINT: Avoid unethical behavior and focus on mutual gain and long term implications when using persuasion.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Key Elements of Persuasion
Skilled persuaders engage in a mutual process of learning and negotiating with their audience.
Persuasion is a complex process that requires careful preparation, back-and-forth dialogue, and a deep understanding how people make decisions. Skilled persuaders engage in a mutual process of learning and negotiating with their audience. They focus on these four critical areas:
Credibility. Skilled persuaders establish their own credibility by acquiring expertise as well as building a cultivating positive, trusting relationships.
Common ground. Effective persuaders frame goals on common ground, describing the benefits of the position they’re advocating in terms of what they value and what others value.
Supporting information. Persuasive managers reinforce their positions with striking data mixed with compelling stories, examples, and images.
Deep understand of emotion. Talented persuaders understand and connect with the feelings of their audience.
ACTION POINT: Study the four critical areas of persuasion: credibility, common ground, supporting information and deeply understanding emotion.
Persuasion is a complex process that requires careful preparation, back-and-forth dialogue, and a deep understanding how people make decisions. Skilled persuaders engage in a mutual process of learning and negotiating with their audience. They focus on these four critical areas:
Credibility. Skilled persuaders establish their own credibility by acquiring expertise as well as building a cultivating positive, trusting relationships.
Common ground. Effective persuaders frame goals on common ground, describing the benefits of the position they’re advocating in terms of what they value and what others value.
Supporting information. Persuasive managers reinforce their positions with striking data mixed with compelling stories, examples, and images.
Deep understand of emotion. Talented persuaders understand and connect with the feelings of their audience.
ACTION POINT: Study the four critical areas of persuasion: credibility, common ground, supporting information and deeply understanding emotion.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Why is Persuasion Important?
The best way to shape the future is to influence it. – Harry Mills
The applications of persuasion are virtually infinite. An employee lobbying for a pay raise, a sales manager pitching the benefits of a new product line to a customer, a purchasing manager convincing a supplier to expedite shipment of an order—these are only a few examples of persuasion situations. Many people, without even realizing it, draw on their persuasion skills every day.
Profound changes in the business world have made persuasion a more critical managerial skill than ever. Her are examples:
The days of command-and-control leadership style have given way to a business world increasingly characterized by cross-functional teams or peers, joint ventures, and inter-company partnerships.
In some countries, many young people now entering the workforce have come to maturity questioning authority.
With the advent of electronic communication a globalization, ideas and people are flowing more freely than ever within and across organizations.
Clearly, formal authority no longer gets managers as far as it used to. To do their jobs—accomplishing worth through others—managers must persuade others rather than simply issue orders.
ACTION POINT: Understand the role of persuasion in accomplishing work through others.
The applications of persuasion are virtually infinite. An employee lobbying for a pay raise, a sales manager pitching the benefits of a new product line to a customer, a purchasing manager convincing a supplier to expedite shipment of an order—these are only a few examples of persuasion situations. Many people, without even realizing it, draw on their persuasion skills every day.
Profound changes in the business world have made persuasion a more critical managerial skill than ever. Her are examples:
The days of command-and-control leadership style have given way to a business world increasingly characterized by cross-functional teams or peers, joint ventures, and inter-company partnerships.
In some countries, many young people now entering the workforce have come to maturity questioning authority.
With the advent of electronic communication a globalization, ideas and people are flowing more freely than ever within and across organizations.
Clearly, formal authority no longer gets managers as far as it used to. To do their jobs—accomplishing worth through others—managers must persuade others rather than simply issue orders.
ACTION POINT: Understand the role of persuasion in accomplishing work through others.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Understanding Persuasion
In many ways, persuasion blends art and science.
Talented persuaders have the power to capture an audience, sway others opinions, and convert opponents to their cause. They wield influence and eloquence to convince others to align with their perspectives, support their positions or ideas, and help implement their solutions.
Persuasion is a process that enables you to change or reinforce other’s attitudes, opinions, or behaviors. It can take place in a singe meeting or over time through a series of discussions. Persuasion is a skill that’s essential for success in all relationships—personal and business alike. What’s more, persuasion is a matter not only of making a rational case but also of presenting information in a way that appeals to fundamental human emotions. It’s about positioning an idea, approach, or solution in what that appeals to the people who are affected by it.
In many ways, persuasion blends art and science. It’s an art in that it requires the ability to establish trust and strong communication skills. It’s a science in that it hinges on the disciplined collection and analysis of information and solidly researched principles of human behavior. By leveraging proven techniques, anyone can enhance his or her persuasion skills.
ACTION POINT: Study the art and science of persuasion to improve your skills of persuasion.
Talented persuaders have the power to capture an audience, sway others opinions, and convert opponents to their cause. They wield influence and eloquence to convince others to align with their perspectives, support their positions or ideas, and help implement their solutions.
Persuasion is a process that enables you to change or reinforce other’s attitudes, opinions, or behaviors. It can take place in a singe meeting or over time through a series of discussions. Persuasion is a skill that’s essential for success in all relationships—personal and business alike. What’s more, persuasion is a matter not only of making a rational case but also of presenting information in a way that appeals to fundamental human emotions. It’s about positioning an idea, approach, or solution in what that appeals to the people who are affected by it.
In many ways, persuasion blends art and science. It’s an art in that it requires the ability to establish trust and strong communication skills. It’s a science in that it hinges on the disciplined collection and analysis of information and solidly researched principles of human behavior. By leveraging proven techniques, anyone can enhance his or her persuasion skills.
ACTION POINT: Study the art and science of persuasion to improve your skills of persuasion.
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