If you prefer video content over text, I explain this material with fun, musical examples in my YouTube video.
Persuasive people in popular media are confident, articulate, headstrong, and often aggressive.
But that’s not how persuasion works in the business world.
In this article, I break down how to successfully persuade: meet people where they are first.
What Not To Do
Consider this situation. You’re talking to a manager. You want to convince them success in their role depends on giving good feedback. You say this:
“If we don’t tell people how we feel they will never change”
Decent. But what if this manager is risk-averse … their biggest concern is feedback will hurt people’s feelings.
How do you convince them then?
What To Do
Check out how Kim Scott, bestselling author of Radical Candor, makes her argument:
Kim says:
“I was brought up to be polite … and kind. The thing that is most important is it’s actually unkind not to give feedback”
Why is that much more persuasive?
Because it starts with what the listener already values: kindness
From that common ground, it bridges somewhere new: “it’s actually unkind not to give feedback”
Our new point of view is not jarring or off-putting because it’s still connected to our common ground. We’re showing the listener a slightly different way of evaluating the same situation.
Summary
Your audience has ego. We all do. They will resist attempts that deny or denigrate their worldview.
So root your message in things they know and believe. That way, they are more likely to understand and accept your new idea.
If you’re looking for further guidance on how to differentiate your communication skills and stand out in the workplace, take my free self-assessment.
I’m writing a book on thinking quickly, speaking clearly, presenting convincingly, and supercharging your executive presence. My current focus: a section on how to structure responses for greater memorability. This will be a deep-dive into techniques for making your point clear, supporting it with relevant examples, and ending with a sentence that ties everything together in a refreshing way.
Follow me on LinkedIn for more updates on the book and its release!
