Magazine
Become a Master of Influence
Persuasion is an art
By David G. Jensen
How good are you at influencing those around you? Do you think that these skills of persuasion can be used ethically in the work world? Or, like many technical people, do you feel uncomfortable trying to influence others? This month I will describe the ingredients of persuasion, and why they are essential no matter the career track you are on.
My motivation for writing a column on this subject came during the four intense days that I spent at a convention when I was constantly bombarded by those who were trying to influence me for one purpose or another. Having just done some reading on the subject of persuasion, I noted with interest the differences in the methodologies applied by these individuals and the success of their efforts. In some cases, their skills worked and my views were changed forever. In other situations, the persuaders failed miserably.
Persuasion at the BIO Meeting
The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) meetings are always intense. Not only does persuasion come from the speakers, but from the horde of protesters who also turn out to make some kind of statement. It can be a real zoo.
My last BIO meeting was a very busy week for me. I had a number of interviews to conduct on behalf of clients, and a long list of seminar topics that begged for attention. I felt that I needed to clone myself to stand any chance of getting to the end of my “to do” list for this important event. And it was in this robotic mode that I began zooming around the meeting, completely receptive to a wide variety of persuasion techniques that were being directed my way. Here are a few examples:
The dynamic young CEO of a San Diego biotech company whose stock had tanked over the past couple of years gave a seminar that reversed my opinion of the firm. The new CEO’s presentation was so effective that he almost had me begging to buy shares in the firm by the time I left.
In a workshop about European business development opportunities, the vice president of research for a British firm totally changed the way I felt about live virus vaccines. Once again, I wanted to buy shares in a company that had earlier been on my list of opportunities to avoid.
I held a recruitment interview with a woman who was so wrapped up in her science that she said nothing about herself for the full 30 minutes. Although she left me with a greater understanding of the ins-and-outs of dendritic cell–T cell interactions, I still know absolutely nothing about why my client should consider her for a job.
A bartender who was quite supportive of the efforts of the protesters described his feelings about what biotech and pharma companies were doing to the world. His efforts to influence me were bolstered by the unavoidable spectacle of the crowd of protesters outside his window. He exaggerated, and told me that there were “thousands of people in the street who feel the same way.”
The Psychology of Influence
I’ve recently been re-reading Artful Persuasion, by Harry Mills, an easy-to-read overview on the subject and nothing like a boring textbook. Mr. Mills is an expert on the subject of persuasion, and his book goes into detail about how we are influenced daily, whether it be from television advertisers or our significant others.
One of the rules of persuasion that Mr. Mills points out in his book is what he calls the Law of Candor. This law comes into effect when you begin by being very candid with your audience; you can literally take a negative and turn it around into something that works for you. This year you can see this in practice almost every day on the campaign trail by our presidential candidates.
“Every negative statement that you say about yourself is taken as truth,” Mr. Mills writes. And in this way, you build up a credit in your listener's mind that pays off when it comes time to discuss your positives. By the time you get to your pitch, the listener has become convinced that you are truthful. Most people will remain on your side.
In the seminar I mentioned above, conducted by that San Diego biotech firm, the CEO started with a grim discussion of the facts. He acknowledged that the company's stock had gone consistently downhill during a period of more than two years. Then he said, “Investors have lost faith, and there has been a string of broken promises. There is no reason that anyone here could expect something different at this time.” What a bold opening, I thought! The Law of Candor brought me to an intense focus, waiting for his next point.
To utilize this law, Mr. Mills states that your negative must first be widely perceived as a negative, because if it doesn’t trigger instant agreement, the process doesn't work. Secondly, no apologies should be offered. The purpose is not to clear up past misunderstandings but to move directly into a positive — a statement supported by the credibility you have gained by relaying the obvious in a bold fashion. In this case, my mind was wide open to hear of the new developments at this company due to the trust that the CEO had gained by his candor.
Sell the Benefits, Not the Features
But not everyone does a good job persuading. As I sat and listened to the applicant for the scientist position, I discovered how truly deep into her field of research she was. We had an interesting chat about a tiny area in the field of immunology, and when she left I felt that I understood my assignment better than I had before meeting her. That was helpful, but did this woman do her job of persuading me that she was a viable candidate for the job? Not at all. She spent 30 minutes selling me on her niche, but paid no attention to what Mr. Mills calls the “sizzle.”
“Salespeople have for years understood that they must not describe features of their products without describing the benefits of those features to the user,” states Mr. Mills, referring to that old salesman’s mantra of “sell the sizzle, not the steak.” In other words, you can't describe a product without focusing on the advantages that your listener gets by using it. Or in the case of my interviewee, she should have taken the next step and told me how her knowledge of this field might help advance my client’s research program. I wanted to see her come into this meeting prepared to talk about the benefits of having her on the team, and the increase in productivity that would result for the client’s immunology program if she were hired.
Instead, she illuminated me on the subject matter of her science without persuading me in any way that she could use this to my client’s advantage. What a disappointment!
These Are Life Skills
The skills of persuasion and influence are not just job-related. We need them in all areas of our daily lives, and they are certainly worth investing in. If you are about to head out into the job market and have yet to brush up on your ability to bring others into your cause, you could be making a big mistake.
One of the best ways to develop your persuasiveness is to rehearse your interviewing skills with a partner who will listen and grade you on your ability to sell the ‘sizzle.’ Are you presenting the benefits of hiring you? Have you outlined your weaknesses according to the Law of Candor and moved on immediately to your positives?
In closing, I'd like to list three additional pointers from Artful Persuasion:
- Use stories to illustrate your strengths. Don’t simply describe a strength; tell a brief story about how you might use that strength.
- Structure your argument around one specific theme. For example, focus on the theme of “Why you should hire me” and describe your science from that angle.
- Never exaggerate. You’ll lose all credibility, as my bartender friend did when he overstated the number of protesters outside his window by a factor of 50.
Reference
Harry Mills, Artful Persuasion (AMACOM, New York, NY, 2000).
