Focus on using influence in a positive way. Misuse of the laws will only come back to haunt you in the long run. You may get instant results in the short term, but your long-term future will be bleak. The tools described in this book are powerful and should not be used selfishly. They should not be seen as a means to obtain the desired result at any cost. Rather, you should use these tools to get the desired result only when it is a win-win situation for everyone involved.
Have you ever tried the same approach with a client that your boss uses on you and bombarded you miserably? Becoming a master persuader requires more than imitating other persuaders. Not only should you fully understand the wide variety of persuasive techniques available, but you should also be ready to use the techniques that are best suited to any given situation. Acquiring this level of skill requires a commitment to observe, analyze, study and apply the concepts of Maximum Influence.
Human nature is as varied as the colors of the rainbow. Human thoughts and actions are never perfectly predictable because each of us has different emotions, attitudes, beliefs, personalities, and traits. The tendency of a beginner is to find a persuasive technique that works and stick with it. Unfortunately, you can’t use the same persuasion tool for everyone. Depending on the situation and the techniques you use, people will agree with you, refuse to listen, or be indifferent to your efforts. The Master Persuader has many tools and therefore you can adapt and customize them to suit any situation or personality.
The fable of the sun and the wind provides an excellent example of well-implemented persuasion. The sun and the wind were always arguing over which of them was the strongest. The wind was believed to be stronger due to its destructive power in tornadoes and hurricanes. He wanted the sun to admit that it was stronger, but the sun was clinging to its own opinion and could not be convinced. One day, the sun decided that he wanted the matter resolved once and for all, so he invited the wind to compete with him in a contest. The sun chose the contest carefully. He pointed to an old man taking a walk and challenged the wind to use its power to remove the man’s jacket. The wind felt that this would be an easy contest to win and began to blow. To his surprise, each gust of wind only made the man cling tighter to his jacket. The wind was blowing harder and the man held on tighter. The stronger the wind blew, the more the man resisted. The powerful wind gusts even knocked the man down, but he didn’t let go of his jacket. Finally, the wind gave way and challenged the sun to get the man to remove his jacket. The sun smiled and shone brightly on the man. The man felt the heat of the sun and sweat began to appear on his forehead. The sun kept pouring warmth and sunshine on the man and at last the man took off his jacket. The sun had won the contest. This is an example of maximum influence at its finest. If your attempt to persuade is beneficial to everyone, others will be eager to do what you want them to do. As you perform the exercises and techniques described in this book, you will notice powerful changes in your ability to persuade and influence others.
Do you want temporary results in the short term or permanent results in the long term? Effective persuasion has a lasting impact, but requires dedicated study and long-term commitment on the part of the persuader. The Hierarchy of Persuasion sheds light on how the world uses different levels of persuasion, ranging from control at the shortest level to genuine commitment at the longest level.
Imagine the CEO of a large corporation calling one of his vice presidents to a meeting. At the meeting, the vice president is informed that he must raise $ 20,000 in employee contributions for a foundation that the company is sponsoring. The CEO is not concerned about the media the vice president uses as long as it results in a check for $ 20,000. To raise such a sum it is necessary to obtain $ 100 from each employee, an overwhelming effort! The vice president considers the various ways he could accomplish this task. It would be quick and easy to approach employees using the control. You could use physical force or threats against your life to get the money. This “do it or not” mentality would get immediate results. However, the long-term impact would likely involve rebellion, revenge, and resentment. What about coercion? Employees would surely provide the requested donation if told that doing so otherwise would negatively affect their next job evaluation. Would this tactic get immediate results? Sure. Again, however, the long-term effects would be resentment, rebellion, and revenge.
The vice president decides that control and / or coercion do not provide the best results. Next, consider compliance. If it offered incentives, benefits, or rewards, it would be a win-win situation, right? Suppose each employee who donates $ 100 gets two additional weeks of paid vacation. The problem is, once the incentive is gone, compliance will also go away. I may get the $ 100 this time, but what about the next time I ask for a donation? This method is still only a temporary solution because employees will be conditioned to always expect a reward for compliance.
Next, the vice president considers cooperation. You could spend time with the employees explaining why this charity is so important and how it would be a great honor for them to participate. He could convince, encourage or “sell” with logic, emotion and information to donate to this worthy cause. Now, armed with the tools of effective persuasion, you are in an approach that will have positive and lasting results. As long as employees feel that you are telling the truth and acting in their best interest, they will be open to your proposal.
Finally, the vice president considers the main form of persuasion: commitment. If you have a great reputation and good relationship with your employees, there will be mutual respect, honor and trust. These conditions will allow employees to comfortably write their $ 100 checks. They know that the vice president is a man of honor who would never ask them to do anything that was not in their best interest. They can commit to him because they feel he is committed to them.
Commitment is the highest ideal of persuasion because its impact is the most permanent and far-reaching. Your reputation as someone who possesses integrity, honor, trust, and respect will continually inspire commitment from everyone you seek to persuade.
Application questions
What forms of persuasion are you most comfortable using? Why?
Control: force, fear, threats
Coercion: pressure, manipulation, intimidation
Compliance: incentive, benefits, reward,
Cooperation: convince, encourage, cajole
Commitment: Respect, Honor, Trust
Give an example of each persuasion C that you have tried to use in the last 60 days.
Control: force, fear, threats
Coercion: pressure, manipulation, intimidation
Compliance: incentive, benefits, reward,
Cooperation: convince, encourage, cajole
Commitment: Respect, Honor, Trust
For additional information on The Persuasion Hierarchy, go to Magnetic Persuasion and start your success.
conclusion
Persuasion is the missing piece of the puzzle that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want it, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost due to your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you’ve seen some success, but think about the times you couldn’t. Has there ever been a time when you didn’t get your point? Couldn’t you convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and achieve your goals? And your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, knowing what your potential customer thinks and feels, feeling more confident in your ability to persuade. Professional success, personal happiness, leadership potential, and income depend on the ability to persuade, influence, and motivate others.
