Regardless of your role or career stage, persuasion is one of the top skills companies need most from employees in 2020, according to recent LinkedIn Learning data.
But being persuasive is not the same as being manipulative.
Someone who is manipulative focuses solely on what’s good for them. It’s a one-sided transaction.
On the flip side, persuasion means that you carefully consider the other person’s wants, needs, desires, and goals. It’s mutually beneficial. I like to say: “Good for you, good for me, then we’re good to go!”
Here are 5 ways to stand out at your company as someone who can flex their persuasive skills ethically to further the business.
5 Ways to Be an Effective Persuader
#1 Build rapport. People prefer to say yes to those they know and like. Ask a question, engage in a meaningful conversation, find common ground. Create a personal connection to build a lasting rapport.
#2 Engage reciprocity. Find ways to help people out. In the process, you’ll get to know them while also giving them a reason to return the favor at some point. When you give, people will naturally want to give back and you will both be better off.
#3 Be authentic. Ethical persuaders tell the truth and don’t hide the truth. By being honest, transparent, and truthful, they build trust with those they interact with.
Don’t manufacture false scarcity, exaggerate social proof where it doesn’t exist, or pretend to like people to get them to do what you want. Instead, always interact from a place of authenticity, and the trust will follow.
#4 Establish authority. People tend to feel better following the lead of experts. The more you establish yourself as an expert and bring credible expertise into your relationships, the easier it will be for someone to follow your advice.
#5 Maintain accountability. Create accountability from the perspective of a partnership, not a dictatorship, and everyone wins. Partners generally ask, instead of telling people what to do. When you tell someone what to do, it’s not nearly as effective as when you ask them to do it. Once someone commits and says they will do something, they will be more likely to follow through.
As you hone your persuasion skills, focus less on “what’s in it for me?” and more on mutually beneficial gains—it will serve you well throughout your life and your career.
Learn more about how to be persuasive at work in my course Persuasive Coaching.
Other courses you may be interested in:
Persuading Others with Dorie Clark
Leading Without Formal Authority with Elizabeth (McLeod) Lotardo and Lisa Earle McLeod
Advanced Persuasive Selling: Persuading Different Personality Types with Brian Ahearn
Topics: Top skills and courses
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