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Aug 2017

How the Science of Influence Can Help You Be a More Effective Leader


Now that you are in a position of authority at your job or in your home, your biggest challenge is probably making decisions that everyone can be happy with. While compromise is an important part of leadership, you’ll also need to know how to employ the science of influence in order to get the job done. Here is some important information that will teach you how the mind works when it comes to being persuasive, as well as how you can use these tactics to make your home or business run smoothly.

The science of influence is very multi-layered since there are a number of reasons why people are persuaded. Many people succumb to the art of persuasion in order to be socially accepted. This starts at a very young age when a person realizes what they must do to be liked by others. This may influence the way a person dresses, talks or eats. People are also influenced by their fear of punishment. Children do what they are told (or hide their disobedience) because they are trying to avoid discipline by their parents. Adults show up to work on time because they don’t want to be reprimanded by their bosses. Executives pay business taxes so that they won’t incur penalties by the government.

The science of influence is also important to consider when you are attempting to get people to do things that aren’t common or status quo. Studies show that when a person is dynamic, confident, and convincing, he or she can get people to do things they wouldn’t normally do. So remember that a large part of your influence doesn’t have anything to do with what you say. The way you dress, your state of health, your winning smile are all ways to get people to really pay attention to what you’re saying–and to want to try your suggestions. When you behave as though you believe the things that you are trying to convince people of, you are more likely to get people on board. For instance, if you’re trying to get your family to eat more vegetables, you should use yourself as the guinea pig. Start adopting a healthier diet, so that your children and spouse can see that you’re losing weight and have more energy. This way, you won’t have to do as much talking, and your family members will start to ask you more about what you’re doing to stay healthy.

You should also include ‘hidden commands’ in your persuasion strategy. This means that you use the power of persuasion to make people feel comfortable and appreciated while getting them to do what you want them to do. For example, instead of demanding your employee to have a memo done by a certain deadline, you should make a visit to the employee’s office and acknowledge that you know that he or she is very busy. Suggest that he or she finish the memo if possible, and express your appreciation in advance. Because your employee wants to do a good job, and now feels respected, it is likely that you’ll get the memo earlier than anticipated.

The power of suggestion is also a very effective persuasion strategy. You have to practice arranging your conversations in a way that makes people think that they came up with the ideas that you’ve actually generated. All you have to do is state facts that will allow the person you’re talking to give you the suggestion that you’re already thinking of. Try this with little things, and then work your way up. For instance, if you want to have a business meeting during lunch, you should make suggestions like ‘we can get a lot done if we use our time wisely’ or ‘there’s a great restaurant right down the street from the office.’ This will instill confidence in your workers, and make them much more comfortable when they are coming to you with suggestions or personal requests.

Remember that the science of influence only works at its best when you are not constantly trying to influence people. Showing people that you value their opinions is a great way to continue getting the support that you need. Good luck!