We burden people every day, whether it’s getting our children to follow their schedules, asking a colleague to help with a project, or persuading our farmers to adopt improved production technology or new marketing strategies.
Persuasion is communication with a purpose – to get an individual or group to accept as their own a product, person, idea, entity or point of view that the individual would not otherwise support. Put more simply, persuasion goes beyond “please.” To be persuasive, you need to establish a common bond between yourself and the person you are trying to influence. This bond, often called “common ground,” comes from shared experiences, understandings, cues, and meanings. The language we use and the way we communicate are central to this bonding process. Words convey meaning, emotions and feelings. Not all words are created equal, however, some words evoke more emotion in listeners and are more powerful and therefore persuasive.
Persuasion is under the umbrella term of influence. In other words, persuasion is influence, but it requires communication, whereas influence does not necessarily. Persuasion may attempt to influence beliefs, attitudes, intentions, motivations, or behavior. Persuasion is a process that aims to change an individual’s (or a group’s) attitude or behavior toward an event, idea, object, or other person(s), using written or spoken words to convey information, feelings, or arguments, or a combination. his
Effective persuasion is a process that involves discussion and learning through which a persuasive leads colleagues toward a shared solution to a problem. It includes discovery, preparation and dialogue. It is about testing and revising ideas aligned with the concerns and needs of one’s colleagues.
Process of Persuasion
1. Establish Credibility
Expertise/Knowledge
Strong Relationships
Listening to others
History of good judgment
2. Find Common Ground
Clarify the Benefits
Mutually Beneficial Solutions
Illuminate the Advantages
Understand Other Views
3. Provide Vivid Evidence
Logic and Facts
Imagery and Metaphors
Stories and Examples
Spreadsheets/Statistics
4. Connect Emotionally
Understand the Emotions
Show Empathy
Demonstrate Commitment
Self-Awareness
Follow