The Art of Persuasion

Jay A. Conger believes that contrary to popular belief, persuasion is NOT the same as selling an idea or convincing opponents to see things your way. It is instead a process of learning from others and negotiating a shared solution.

So, persuasion consists of four essential elements:
1) establishing credibility
2) framing to find common ground
3) providing vivid evidence, and
4) connecting emotionally

Credibility grows out of two sources: expertise and relationships. But, even, if a persuader’s credibility is high, his position must make sense – even more, it must appeal – to the audience. Therefore, a persuader must frame his position to illuminate its benefits to everyone who will feel its impact.

Persuasion then becomes a matter of presenting evidence – but not just ordinary charts and spreadsheets. The most effective persuaders use vivid – even over-the-top-stories, metaphors, and examples to make their positions come alive.

Finally, good persuaders have the ability to accurately sense and respond to their audience’s emotional state. Sometimes, that means they have to suppress their own emotions; at other times, they must intensify them.

Work today gets done in an environment where people don’t just ask – “what should I do?” They now ask – “why should I do it?” In this kind of environment, the art of persuasion is highly required to get things done.

At times, persuasion is commonly perceived as just another form of manipulation – devious and to be avoided. Certainly, persuasion can be used in selling and deal-clinching situations, and it can be misused to manipulate people. But, exercised constructively and to its full potential, persuasion supersedes sales and is quite the opposite of deception.

Dialogue happens before and during the persuasion process. Before the process begins, effective persuaders use dialogue to learn more about their audience’s opinions, concerns, and perspectives. During the process, dialogue continues to be a form of learning, but it is also the beginning of the negotiation stage. You invite people to discuss, even debate, the merits of your position, and then to offer honest feedback and suggest alternative solutions. That may sound like a slow way to achieve your goal, but effective persuasion is about testing and revising ideas in concert with your colleagues’ concerns and needs. In fact, the best persuaders not only listen to others, but also incorporate their perspectives into a shared solution. Persuasion often demands compromise.

Four ways not to persuade:
1) Don’t attempt to make your case with an upfront, hard sell.
2) Don’t resist compromise.
3) Don’t think persuasion lies only in presenting great arguments.
4) Don’t assume persuasion is a one-shot effort.