Precursors to persuasion

I met with a small group of longtime collaborators this week to talk about how we communicate to have influence.

One topic was the precursors for persuasion.

Why is it, for example, that some really logical proposals get through and others do not?

There is a popular idea that this has to do with emotional connection.

This is, I think, only part of the story.

Persuasion relies on a mix of factors, which are often unique to a situation.

Let me use a real-life but extreme example to illustrate before I introduce three foundational precursors that were missing and what to do about them.

Precursors for persuasion were not in place.

A great idea was approved, execution plans were developed, and then the project was handed over to someone else to lead.

And, I did say this was extreme; the person with the idea (let’s call him Fred) was moved on. Worse, the project failed because the new and likeable leader didn’t understand the ins and outs.

Why did this happen?

The idea alone wasn’t enough, even if it had been communicated clearly.

The precursors for persuasion were not in place.

Three foundational precursors influence decisions.

Here are three foundational precursors that were missing in that case:

1. Liking. It’s hard to work with people we don’t like. I am not suggesting we need to be weekend-BBQ friends, but we do need to enjoy working together.

In this example, the decision-makers didn’t like working with Fred. Even though they liked his idea, they didn’t like him. And, worse, the dislike was so great they didn’t allow him to deliver the project, which they all agreed was necessary.

2. Respect. Even if we like someone, we must also respect them. As our real-life example shows, this isn’t just about respecting their idea. It’s about respecting the person.

You know those leaders who run a tight ship, have high standards, and potentially ask tough questions? They care enough to call you out before you fall on your face, even if it means a tough conversation?

3. Ease. It’s hard to approve something that feels really hard. The difficulty skews the risk-reward ratio, making your leaders question whether the value is big enough to be worth the effort.

In this case, Fred was difficult, and his idea was complex. The leadership team underestimated the delivery complexities and thought they could work around Fred.

Three ideas to increase your influence.

1. Leverage others when you need extra credibility. Eons ago Aristotle talked about the three legs of the persuasion stool: logos, ethos, and pathos.

Maybe you aren’t the right person to pitch your proposal? Fred most certainly wasn’t in the case above. Perhaps he might have both kept his job and seen his idea delivered successfully if he had an ally and front person.

Make sure the person pitching your idea has enough ethos (credibility) with your decision-makers to get it through.

2. Make it easy for your decision-makers to relate to your message. It’s easy to assume that having the logically right ‘answer’ to a problem is enough to get a decision. So, if they can understand your message, you’re good, right? Maybe. But it’s much harder if the audience can’t relate to it.

Going beyond ‘describing the situation’ to explaining why the facts matter is key.

3. Analyse your own personal strengths and weaknesses in your current situation. Influence is highly situational. Being clear about your message delivers a baseline. The next step is to deliver a message that really lands in the moment with your specific decision makers.

What could you do to increase your influence in your current situation?

Email me: I’d love to hear what the next right step is for you to increase your own influence.

RELATED POSTS