Power of persuasion

How do I get others to listen to me? How do I get people to understand and accept what I want them to accept? How can I put forth my ideas in such a way that others will be more amenable to my thoughts? How do I get people to act on what I want and what I say? "If only they would listen to me..." is a statement that most executives and employees today tell themselves constantly. For every point of theirs that does not get accepted, every idea that does not get listened to, most employees feel a sense of frustration, a sense of not knowing how to convince, how to create an atmosphere where their inputs are taken positively towards action. The saying "no man is an island" is an undeniable truth. We need the support and cooperation of other people to help us in reaching our goals. Successful people know that one of the most important abilities to possess is the ability to persuade and influence A others. Thus time and again, trainings and workshops on negotiation and persuasion are filled with those who wish to learn the techniques and skills for the same. Power persuasion is about effectively conveying one's message to the other individual that the other individual takes significant action towards the message. It entail many tips and techniques that include the ability to define a range of objectives, yet be flexible about some of them, explore the possibilities of a wide range of options, set priorities, be well prepared, listen to and question other parties, etc.

To be able to persuade anyone, an individual needs to be able to enter the other person's world, put themselves in other's shoes, understand the situation from their point of view, observe how people talk and act and speak and think, mirror their body language and make them feel comfortable, be cheerful and nice to them, be sincere, trusting and trustworthy, provide them with compelling evidence as to how one's ideas or suggestions could be the most effective techniques to implement. One needs to always also show others "What's In It for them" for them to accept the idea and implement it to further action. Power persuasion happens when a combination of 3 factors is answered effectively. These are as follows: ● What is the message ● Who is the messenger ● How is the message conveyed ● What is the message: Having clarity about the message to convey across is an essential part of being able to persuade anyone. Along with knowing the message accurately, it is also important to know what is critical and essential to the other person whom we wish to persuade. Each individual has their own desires, aspirations and motivations. Instead of pushing a message just as it is, when one can understand the other person's motivations and tweak or adapt the message in such a way that it conveys to them how the motivating factors are met, it becomes easier to convince and persuade the other person. ● Who is the messenger: Many a time it is said that people do not believe or disbelieve a message as much as they believe or disbelieve the messenger who brings forth the message. Yes, it is important to know what the source of the message is and how credible that source is, and to check the validity of the same.

However, for a lot of people, it is not the source but the person translating and communicating the message who decides with how much genuineness the message is conveyed. The messenger's body language, tone, way of speaking, etc have an impact on the receiver's perception of the message. If they buy the messenger they buy the message. If they do not buy the messenger, the message will be a lot more difficult to convey. Thus the credibility, loyalty as well as behavior of the messenger is very critical for the other individual getting persuaded on the message ● How the message is conveyed: Many a time the most fantastic ideas are shot down even when they are provided by people whom everyone likes and respects. Thus there is a third element, other than the message and the messenger, which also plays an important role in how easily the other person gets convinced. This is the manner in which the message is conveyed. Most times when our message is clear and the benefits are clear too, if the other individual is not persuaded, one has to remain calm and patient and respectful to the other individual. Any deviation from this makes it even more difficult for the individual to get convinced. Thus for power persuasion, apart from the regular tips and techniques of convincing and influencing, one needs to also process and take forward the 4Cs of persuasion which include clarity of what we want to convey, the importance to connect with the other individual, the ability to channelize the information accurately and finally close on the message. Whilst doing these, the individual needs to remember that the message, the messenger, and the way the message is conveyed are all important and have a impact on the persuasion process.

Power Persuade others... You have the power!

Revathi Turaga is an International Trainer and Inspirational Speaker. She can be reached at www.revathionline.com

OPINION