Effective Persuasion in Leadership

• Persuasion is a vital leadership skill that is misunderstood and underutilized.
• Businesses today are run by cross-functional teams of peers, baby boomers, and Generation X, who don't tolerate unquestioned authority.
• Electronic communication and globalization have eroded traditional hierarchies, allowing ideas and people to flow freely.
• Decisions are now made closer to the markets, requiring persuasion to answer "Why should I do it?".

Misconceptions About Persuasion

• Persuasion is often seen as selling or manipulation, which is devious and should be avoided.
• Effective persuasion is the opposite of deception and a process of negotiating towards a shared solution.
• It involves moving people to a new position through preparation, framing, evidence, and emotional connection, not begging or cajoling.
• AlliedSignal's CEO Lawrence Bossidy describes persuasion as helping people see how they can get from their current position to a better one, establishing credibility and giving them a reason to act.

The Process of Effective Persuasion

• Persuasion involves discovery, preparation, and dialogue.
• Effective persuaders consider all angles of their positions and identify potential weaknesses.
• Dialogue, a form of learning and negotiation, happens before and during the process.
• The most persuasive people listen to others and incorporate their views into a shared solution.
• Persuasion often requires compromise, and effective persuaders are open-minded and prepared to adjust their viewpoints.
• When colleagues see a persuader is willing to listen and change in response to concerns, they react positively and trust them more.
• Preparing for the persuasion process with compromises gives the persuader power and allows them to be seen as flexible and willing to make sacrifices.

Research Into Persuasion

• The ideas about persuasion come from three streams of research.
• For 12 years, 23 senior business leaders who are effective change agents have been observed.
• Focus was given to how these individuals use language to motivate employees, articulate vision and strategy, and mobilize organizations.
• A second stream of research focused on capabilities of successful cross-functional team leaders via interviews and observations of 18 individuals in U.S. and Canadian companies.
• Comparisons were with less successful team leaders skills.
• A third stream of research involved observing dozens of managers in company meetings and simulations, as well as interviewing 14 managers known for constructive persuasion.

Common Mistakes in Persuasion

• Making an up-front, hard sell, like the "John Wayne approach" of stating a strong position from the start, gives opponents a target to fight against.
• Resisting compromise is seen as a one-way street, but it is essential to constructive persuasion.
• Thinking the secret of persuasion lies in great arguments only recognizes one part of the equation.
• Assuming persuasion is a one-shot effort; it involves listening, testing, developing, and incorporating compromises.

Four Essential Steps in Effective Persuasion

• Establishing credibility allows others to trust the opinions of the persuader.
• Framing goals to identify common ground identifies shared benefits.
• Reinforcing positions with vivid language and compelling evidence allows the other party to create a mental picture of where they may be.
• Connecting emotionally with the audience to show commitment.

Establishing Credibility

• Credibility is the first hurdle to overcome.
• It grows from expertise and relationships.
• Expertise is built through a history of sound judgment and knowledge.
• The relationship side is demonstrated through trustworthiness.
• Most managers overestimate their credibility.
• It is critical to assess where one stands on both expertise and relationships and seek feedback from colleagues.
• Weaknesses can be addressed through education, hiring experts, using outside sources, or launching pilot projects.
• Building relationships involves meeting one-on-one, offering help, or involving like-minded coworkers.

Case Study: Tom Smith

• Tom Smith, a new COO at a large retail bank, persuaded the senior management team that the company was in trouble by hiring an external consultant to show the bank's position, visiting all 135 branches, and launching successful initiatives.

Case Study: Microsoft

• Karen Fries and Barry Linnett persuaded Microsoft to invest in "BOB," a software package with a "social interface," by hiring a technical guru, testing prototypes, and enlisting experts from Stanford to present research.

Framing for Common Ground

• Positions must appeal to the people being persuaded.
• Persuaders must describe their positions in terms that illuminate their advantages and frame in terms of shared benefits.
• Persuaders should understand their audience by studying the issues, listening, and testing ideas with trusted confidants.

Case Study: Monica Ruffo

• Monica Ruffo, an account executive, persuaded fast-food franchisees to support a meal-pricing plan by demonstrating its benefits to them, citing a pilot project and research, and invoking the company's values.

Providing Evidence

• Stories and vivid language matter when presenting evidence.
• Fries and Linnett hit a home run when they presented their case for BOB with the supermarket analogy, comparing it to users being able to cook anything they want as long as they know how.

Connecting Emotionally

• Persuaders should show their emotional commitment, be authentic, and be aware of their audience's emotional state.
• The aim is to ensure that the emotional appeal behind their persuasion matches what their audience is already feeling or expecting.
• Understanding the emotional appeal is important for effective persuasion, in regards to both the persuader and the audience.

Case Study: Aeronautics Manufacturing Company

• The president of an aeronautics manufacturing company used visual imagery to create a sense of needing change and of crisis.

Case Study: Robert Marcell

• Robert Marcell, head of Chrysler's small-car design team, used the devastation of his hometown to create an emotional connection.

The Force of Persuasion

• Persuasion is a complex concept that often confuses businesspeople.
• Persuasion is not convincing and selling but learning and negotiating.
• It requires commitment and practice, especially in today's business contingencies.