101: Being Persuasive
Finding a way to convince others of the relevance of a project, a new product line or a new idea is an important skill if you're leading others. You have to transform your team into believers to help everyone work together in tandem toward a common goal. Here are three things to keep in your playbook to rally your staff:
Gain leverage with peer power. Peer power is something you should use whenever possible, Robert B. Cialdini writes at Businessweek.com. Going on the premise that humans are social creatures who rely on the cues of others in how to think or act, “people follow the lead of similar others,” he said. He references an experiment in Columbia, S.C., where researchers tried to solicit donations for a charitable campaign. More donations were collected when they displayed a list of neighborhood residents who had already donated to the cause.
To persuade effectively, listen —though the temptation is to talk. Simply jumping into a passionate plea likely won't get you anywhere as far as actively listening will. This will help the persuader tune in to potential objections (for later resolution) and areas of commonality to capitalize on, Kevin Daum says in an Inc.com article. “They certainly are able to articulate their position in a convincing way, but that is only half the equation,” he writes.
Detach yourself. This may seem surprising, but staying calm is crucial. Too much excitement about an idea could cost you credibility, Eric Jackson writes at Forbes.com. He says it's difficult to be effective when you're emotional. “In conflict, people turn to those in control of their emotions, and trust them in those moments to lead them,” he writes. You can be more easily dismissed when you are “on tilt.”
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