Persuasion is a skill that can be valuable to us in both our personal and professional lives. From convincing others to acknowledge our perspective to motivating others to take essential action to having an influence on decision-making in our communities, strong persuasive skills are valuable in many situations.
The potential impact of our influence can be minor, however, there are many instances when being able to convince another person to take action (or not take action) can be life-changing or even lifesaving.
Today, we explore the elements of influence and offer tips on how to master the art of persuasion.
What is Persuasion?
Persuasion involves using language, logic, and emotions to convey a message that will encourage someone to act in a particular way or accept (or at least entertain) an alternative point of view.
We become more effective in influencing others when take an objective approach and work to identify mutually acceptable assumptions, ideas, solutions or compromises, and when we seek to truly understand the perspective and positions of others.
Situations When Influence Can Save a Life
There are a wide variety of situations where persuasive skills are valuable and necessary.
As noted above, the potential impact of our ability to influence others may be significant.
Let’s start with some of the situations where persuasion may literally save a life. Examples include:
- If we can persuade someone to seek needed counseling or medical care.
- When we convince someone who is drunk not to drive.
- If we are able to influence someone who is threatening to harm themselves to not do so.
- When we can persuade a friend or family member to take their medication.
- If we are able to convince our children not to adopt risky behaviors.
- When we are able to diffuse a potentially violent situation.
Though these instances may be relatively rare in our lives, depending on our own circumstances, just being able to impact a situation like this once can mean the world to us or someone we care about.
Other Situations When Influence is Valuable
There are, of course, many situations when an ability to persuade others is less essential, but nevertheless valuable. For example:
- When we are negotiating a business deal, a raise, or a compromise with a friend or family member.
- If we wish to inspire and influence teams we lead at home, at work, or in the community.
- When we need to speak or present to groups at work or in the community.
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- When we advocate for a cause or wish to promote social change.
- During conflicts or disagreements, persuasive skills can help build bridges and find common ground.
Persuasive communication can help us to convey our message, gain support, and mobilize others to take action.
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The Elements of Persuasion
When we seek to persuade others to adopt or consider an alternative point of view, we must attend to several major elements:
- Persuasion is most effective when tailored to the audience. We must understand their needs, concerns, values, and beliefs, and tailor our message to better resonate with them.
- Credibility is key. When people perceive us as credible, they are more likely to believe and trust what we say. Establishing credibility requires us to showcase our expertise or knowledge, establish common ground, and emphasize shared values.
- Emotions can also be a powerful motivator when it comes to persuasion. By appealing to people’s emotions, we can create a connection. This can be achieved through storytelling, personal anecdotes, or using words that convey emotions.
- Logical reasoning is also important in persuasion because it appeals to the rational side of decision-making. Persuasion that only relies on emotion is often not effective in the long run. By presenting logical reasons for why a particular decision or action should be taken, we strengthen our case.
A call to action is the final step in persuasion. This involves clearly stating what action or decision we want the other person to make, providing a clear pathway for them to do so, and making it easy for them to follow through.
Tips for Mastering the Art of Persuasion
As we keep in mind the key elements of persuasion, applying these tips can help us to be more effective at persuasion.
- Persuasion is not a one-sided process. To be successful, listen actively and carefully to the other person’s concerns, needs, and feedback. Accept feedback and adapt your position as appropriate. By doing so, we show respect, make them feel valued, and increase the odds of cooperation.
- Be clear and specific about goals and needs, while also being respectful and considerate. Speak in a calm and assured manner, using polite language. Present your request as a shared goal, rather than a demand. Make sure the other party understands what they gain from fulfilling your request, making it more of a win-win situation.
- If appropriate to the situation, visual aids like images, graphs, and charts can be effective in conveying a message. They can help make an argument more memorable as some people respond better to visual information.
- People are naturally drawn to stories. Through storytelling, we can better convey our message and engage our audience emotionally. Stories can be used to illustrate a point, create empathy, or present a scenario in an engaging way.
- Confidence is key in persuasion. By displaying confidence in our message, we can establish credibility and increase the persuasiveness of our argument. Practice helps!
Thank the other person for their time and effort, regardless of whether they were able to fulfill your request or not.
By expressing gratitude, you show appreciation for their input, which in turn, improves the relationship.
It also helps to build a foundation of trust and goodwill.
The Art of Persuasion
Mastering the art of persuasion is a valuable skill that can be used in a variety of settings.
Developing strong persuasive skills can positively impact various areas of life, from professional success to personal relationships.
Whether negotiating, selling, leading, presenting, advocating, or resolving conflicts, the ability to influence others through effective communication and compelling arguments is essential.
By incorporating these elements and practicing these tips, you can enhance your persuasive abilities and achieve your goals.
Persuasion is not about manipulation. Rather, it is about presenting compelling arguments that resonate with your audience and empower them to make informed decisions.
Artful persuasion includes a respectful and positive interaction that ultimately benefits everyone involved.
Thank you as always for reading.
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Joan Senio is the founder of KindCompassCoach. Her career includes 20+ years as a health care executive and 15 years (and counting) as a consultant. The common thread through Joan’s professional life has been a commitment to lead, mentor and coach current and future leaders, and women from all walks of life. KindCompassCoach provides information and advice grounded in Joan’s personal experience; however, all articles are backed by research and provide facts and advice from a wide variety of experts. Joan also serves as a thought-leader for KuelLife.com and is a regular contributor to PsychReg and Sixty and Me.
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