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Influencers from Around the World – The Power of Influential Questions

The Influence People Blog — Mon, 04 May 2015 21:30:00 +0000

I met Dan Norris in August 2004 when I attended the Principles of Persuasion Workshop^®. Dan was the workshop facilitator and did a terrific job. He’s been a Cialdini Method Certified Trainer, one of less than two-dozen worldwide, for 15 years. In addition to being a CMCT^® Dan has been the Director of Training for HOLT CAT since 2003. I invited him to contribute to Influence PEOPLE because of his vast knowledge of ethical influence. I know you’ll enjoy his writing and learn a lot from his post. If you’d like to connect with Dan reach out to him on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Brian Ahearn, CMCT®
Chief Influence Officer

influencePEOPLE
Helping You Learn to Hear “Yes”.

The Power of Influential Questions

I can admit it freely now: I’m a notorious eavesdropper. Whether at an airport, grocery store, or restaurant, I delight in listening to the discussions of others. I try to soak up every juicy detail, every interpersonal conflict, and every persuasive pitch that reaches my ears. It’s amazing what people will actually discuss in public—topics ranging from the mundane to the downright absurd. I like to believe I’m a student of human behavior, but the truth is, I’m just really nosey.

Over time, I learned more than just the latest gossip: I realized people spent the majority of their time “telling” others what they thought and very little time asking questions. In many cases, we spend enormous amounts of energy arguing points others already agree with. We are just too busy “telling” to listen to what others have to say.

I reflected on myself. Was I any different? (Spoiler alert: Nope.) I thought about all the times I belted out what I thought I needed to say. I’d deceive myself and say “I’m just telling you how it is,” oblivious to others needs or perspective. Looking back, it took me significantly longer to get things done when I would “cut to the chase” and tell. All too often, I felt I had to rehash issues several times before they were finally resolved.

Of course, I used to think others were slow or didn’t “get it.” The truth is that I was the slow one. My lack of questions and assumptions made it exceptionally difficult for me to hear what others were saying—and modify my behavior accordingly.

After this realization, I read every book I could find on questioning and communication. I attended seminar after seminar on the subject. I also spent mentored with people who asked great questions (I’m looking at you, Larry Mills!). It made a tremendous difference in my life—especially in terms of how I influenced others.

One memorable example of how questioning changed my influence approach came while coaching an employee named Harvey. At the time I was the new director of training at a large equipment dealership. It was common for me to spend time coaching others to reach their developmental goals.

However, this situation was different. The supervisor shared with me the person frequently made disparaging remarks about his co-workers, and appeared to have a very “negative attitude.” At the end of describing the employee’s behaviors, the manager leaned forward and curtly shared that “This is his last shot. I’ve told him A THOUSAND TIMES that he needs to change and he hasn’t. If you can’t help him, he’s out.”

I gave the meeting a lot of thought. In the past, I would use the same template that many others use—tell the employee they have a problem, tell them what the problem is, and tell them what will happen if the problem isn’t resolved. They would reluctantly agree to the findings of the meeting and leave. Sometimes they changed…sometimes they didn’t.

Then it hit me—his supervisor probably “told” him 999 times too many. Despite failing each time, his supervisor continued to use the ineffective approach of “telling.” I’m sure it lead Harvey to be as frustrated as his supervisor.

I decided to use questions in this coaching session to change the direction and try to salvage the working relationships. To avoid falling back on my “telling” habits, I made a list of all the things I could gain by asking questions:

Questions reveal information I don’t already know.

“Telling” only shares information I’m familiar with…it doesn’t reveal how others are feeling, their perspective, or provide opportunities to influence. Questions help me better listen to the needs, interests, and positions of others.

Questions influence others to make commitments.

When I ask questions of others, they make commitments about what they feel and believe. If I say what needs to happen, others can doubt me. If I get others to tell me what needs to happen, they feel more committed to the solution. Dr. Robert Cialdini’s landmark book Influence: Science and Practicecalls this the Principle of Consistency.

Questions involve others in the conversation

Telling pushes people away. Questions invite others into the discussion. People want to express themselves and be heard. They are more likely to listen to me if I listen to them first.

Questions influence people to reframe how they view the situation.

Questions are highly persuasive. They are excellent ways to ethically influence others to experience private, inner changes about how they view a situation. Another take away from Dr. Cialdini’s work.

I reflected on these four reminders. “That makes sense,” I thought. “Now how the hell do I use it?” Channeling sage advice from a dear mentor, I resolved to write down several questions ahead of our conversation to prepare.

When the time came, Harvey sat down sheepishly in my office. I could see in his eyes that he expected another didactic lecture about his behavior. After offering him some water, I pulled up a chair next to him.

“Thanks for meeting with me, Harvey. Before we get started, would you mind if I asked you some questions?”

“Sure,” said Harvey in a skeptical tone.

“How clear do you think I am about what happens in your department on a daily basis?”

Harvey tilted his head and appeared surprised by the question. “I suppose you don’t know a lot about what goes on directly…probably only what you’ve heard.”

“I’d certainly agree with that,” I said. “What role do you see me playing in our company?”

Harvey thought some more. “Well, you’re the training guy. I guess you’re responsible for helping people grow and get better.”

“You’re right,” I replied. “I work with people at all levels of the company on their performance. Since you and I don’t work closely together, I want to make sure I have some clarity about your goals before we move forward. I wouldn’t want to make any recommendations without understanding your plans for growth. How does that work for you?”

“Makes sense,” he replied. His body language became more relaxed. His shoulders dropped, and he became more comfortable in his chair.

“Great,” I said. “Now I hope you stay with us for your whole career. Whether you work for the company for five, 10, or even the next 30 years—what do you want your legacy to be? How do you want to be known?”

Harvey paused in thought for a moment. “Nobody’s ever asked me that. I guess I would like to be the ‘go to’ person. I’d like to be the person that others would trust coaching new employees or handling difficult tasks. I want to be the person that is a ‘slam dunk’ for the next promotion.”

“I’m sure you have the talent to do so,” I replied. “That said, I’d like to ask you another question: When you use disparaging and negative language about others, how does that match the vision you just described?”

He paused as his eyes widened. “I never thought about it like that. I guess it doesn’t.”

“You’re right,” I acknowledged. “How does that behavior position you as the next best leadership candidate?”

He began shaking his head. “Well, I guess it doesn’t make me a strong candidate. I never thought of it that way. I was just trying to be funny—I didn’t mean to upset anyone.”

It was clear that Harvey was beginning to see things differently. “The past is the past, Harvey. We all make mistakes or send messages to others that we don’t intend. Going forward, what are some things you might do to change your behavior?”

Harvey began discussing ideas that he could change. His entire demeanor changed. He became energized and focused. He wanted to make the changes. He wanted to fit the vision he had for himself. We talked for some time as he created an action plan for himself.

I had one final question before we ended our meeting. “I know that you’re the type of person that can make changes like this happen. There is no doubt your capable of rebranding yourself. However, I think it’s important to reflect on what may happen if you choose not to change. If you don’t go through with these changes, what the consequences would you expect?”

Harvey sat back in his chair thinking. “Well,” he thought, “I imagine I’d be up for disciplinary action. I’d expect to be written up.”

I was floored—his honesty was as surprising as it was refreshing. I committed to support and coach him. He was energized and ready to work on his relationships with others. I called his supervisor to fill him in on our discussion. He was dumfounded. He couldn’t believe Harvey was receptive.

He laughed and said, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Harvey did change —dramatically. He took ownership for his behavior and worked very hard to repair the relationships he had with others. Harvey had no idea how his behavior affected others. True to his vision, he now leads others and is a sought after coach.

Dr. Cialdini’s Principle of Consistency—influencing others to make a choice or take a stand on an issue—was the primary reason Harvey changed his behavior. Questions revealed new information, involved Harvey in the conversation, influenced him to make commitments, and reframed how we all saw the situation. It ethically changed the way we viewed the situation and provided a win-win for everyone involved.

I’m sure you have a “Harvey” in your life. What questions are you asking them?

Dan Norris, CMCT®

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Make Requests Like a Persuasion Expert

The Influence People Blog — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 21:30:00 +0000

Persuasion is all about moving people to action. Aristotle defined it as “the art of getting someone to do something they would not ordinarily do if you didn’t ask.” The bottom line when it comes to persuasion is getting someone to do something. How we communicate can make all the difference between a “Yes” or “No” response.

Most of the time people are directive, telling instead of asking, when they want something. For example:

Clean your room.

Fax me the authorization form.

Get me the sales numbers.

Each request is direct and to the point. The communication may be clear but unfortunately people don’t like to be told what to do. And none of the statements above requires a response, which means the recipient of the message might hear what’s being said but think to himself or herself, “No” without ever having to say it.

Each of us makes requests of people daily, and the science of influence tells us with certainty there are better ways to structure our communication if we want to hear “Yes” more often. If you want to make a request like a persuasion expert follow this simple formula:

R = W + T + B + R + D

Request = What + Timeframe + Because + Reason + Downside

Here’s an example using the formula: Would you get me the authorization form by this afternoon because without it I can’t proceed any further on your claim, which will delay your payment by several more days?

A number of persuasive techniques are used in the example above so let’s dissect each part.

“Would you” – Adding these two words turns the statement into a question and engages the principle of consistency. A question like this demands a response and once someone says “Yes,” the likelihood they’ll do what you want has gone up significantly.

“by this afternoon” – These three words ensure you’ll get what you want within a timeframe that’s acceptable to you instead of being left to chance. If someone says they can’t get it within the allotted time you can engage reciprocity. Immediately upon hearing no, if you put out a new timeframe (i.e., How about by tomorrow afternoon?) your odds of hearing “Yes” have just gone up because most people are willing to meet us part way after we’ve first conceded a little bit.

“because” – One study showed a 50% increase in “yes” responses when a request was tagged with “because” and a reason was given. This even worked when the reason was bogus! We’re conditioned from childhood to almost mindlessly do what we’re told when “because” is used. Do you remember your parents ever saying, “Because I said so!” in response to your asking why you had to do something? We’ve all been there and maybe you’ve used that phrase yourself.

“I can’t proceed any further on your claim, which will delay your payment” – This invokes the principle of scarcity. People are much more motivated by the thought of losing something as opposed to gaining the same thing. In this instance the person knows they won’t be paid until they’ve done what’s being asked. This is much more effective than saying, “As soon as I get it I’ll proceed on the claim and you’ll get paid.”

Once more compare the two requests for the same thing:

Fax me the authorization form.

vs.

Would you get me the authorization form by this afternoon because without it I can’t proceed any further on your claim, which will delay your payment?

Next time you need something from someone or you need them to do something remember to structure your request by asking instead of telling. Let them know what you want and when you need it by. Tag your request with “because” and a legitimate reason. Finally, let them know what happens if they don’t do what’s asked…the downside. Follow this simple approach and you’re sure to hear “Yes” more often.

Brian Ahearn, CMCT®
Chief Influence Officer

influencePEOPLE
Helping You Learn to Hear “Yes”.

The post Make Requests Like a Persuasion Expert appeared first on Social Engineering Blogs.

A Question is Like a Flashlight

The Influence People Blog — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 21:30:00 +0000

A former coworker and good friend Nancy Edwardsshared an article from Southwest’s Spirit Magazine titled “Chasing Beautiful Questions.” In the article I came across a quote from Steve Quatrano of the Right Question Institute:

"A question is like a flashlight that we shine into the darkness, allowing us to move forward into the unknown and uncertain."

I loved the analogy of a question being like a flashlight because it’s so memorable! I also like it because asking good questions is a big part of being an effective persuader.

When it comes to the principle of liking – it’s easier for us to say yes to those we know and like – questions are key to finding out what you have in common with another person. What we have in common with someone (similarities) is a proven way to engage the liking principle.

Think about people you know who are from your hometown, have the same pet you do, enjoy the same hobbies or root for the same sports team. Studies show it’s easier for them to like you AND it’s easier for you to like them. The end result is it makes it easier for them to say “Yes” to you.

You can learn these things a number of ways – ask people who know the person you want to persuade, Google them, check out Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Or, when you’re with the other person you can shine the light of good questions to try and find out what you have in common so you can use those things to connect.

Good questions also come in handy when you want to engage the principle of consistency. This principle of influence explains the reality that people want to be consistent in what they say, do, believe, etc. Typically people don’t resist their own values, attitudes and beliefs. If you know those things and can align your request to show the other person how what you’re asking lines up with those beliefs, values, attitudes, or past behaviors, it will be easier for them to say yes to whatever you’re asking.

In much the same way that you discover similarities you can discover these things to engage consistency. Talk to people who know the person you’re tying to persuade, do an online search, and look at Facebook or LinkedIn.

One last place questions come in handy is during the sales process, with scarcity. This principle highlights the truth that people respond more to what they might lose than what they might gain. Telling someone what he or she might lose by not going with your suggestion is effective persuasion but there’s a better way. Asking questions that highlight potential loss is a much more effective persuasion strategy. For example, in my industry, insurance, an insurance agent might ask the following of a prospective customer if they discover some deficiency in their insurance program:

Agent – If you were to have a catastrophic loss, would you expect the insurance company to completely replace your building?

Prospective Client – Of course I would. That’s why I carry insurance.

Agent – I thought that would be the case but the reality is you don’t carry enough insurance to fully replace your building. You’d have to pay more than $200,000 out of pocket. Did you know that?

Prospective Client – No, I thought I was fully covered!

By asking the right questions the agent is shining the light on a dark place, a place the customer had not considered. When the customer voices what he wants that solidifies his desire even more. And this approach drives home the potential loss much more than the agent telling him what he might lose.

So whether you want to connect with someone using liking, engage them with consistency or highlight possible loss, good questions are the way to go. They will shine a light to allow you to see things previously hidden and increase your chance for persuasion success.

Brian Ahearn, CMCT®
Chief Influence Officer

influencePEOPLE
Helping You Learn to Hear “Yes”.

Cialdini “Influence” Series! Would you like to learn more about influence from the experts? Check out the Cialdini "Influence” Series featuring Cialdini Method Certified Trainers from around the world.

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3 Reasons to Ask 1 More Question

The Influence People Blog — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 21:30:00 +0000

I’ve observed something in the last few years that I think has helped me become a much more persuasive individual and I’d like to share it with you. It’s something simple that you can do if you’re willing to commit an extra 10 seconds every now and then when you’re communicating with others.

Here it is – Ask one more question. That’s all; just ask one more question. The interesting thing is people feel compelled to answer questions so virtually everyone will answer you when you ask one more question. What you want to do is ask the question in the same email or conversation in which you provide help for someone.

Imagine a coworker has reached out to you for assistance. They sent you an email because they needed some information or insight from you. You share your expertise with them and then you add one more question at the end of the email. That question might be something like one of the following:

"Does that help?"

"Is that what you were looking for?"

"Is there anything else you need?"

Why is asking one more question so important? I think there are three reasons.

First, you’re confirming what you’ve provided is what they needed. There’s no miscommunication because they’ll reply to tell you it’s exactly what they were looking for or they’ll clarify and ask you more questions. Either way miscommunication is avoided.

Second, your follow up question reinforces what you’ve done for the other person. This engages the principle of reciprocity. Should you ever need help in the future they’ll be very likely to return the favor because this principle of influence tells us people feel obligated to give back to those who first give to them. If you don’t do a quick follow up the other person might get what they need and simply move on without acknowledging what you’ve done for them. While it may seem rude to not acknowledge the help, many people don’t just want one more email. But, when you ask one more question is almost guaranteed they’ll reply.

Third, and most importantly, when you ask one more question to make sure they got what they needed people seem to answer much more positively. What I’ve noticed is the response I get is much different than a simple “Thanks!” Here are a few responses I’ve received over the past month:

"That is outstanding - thank you - you're the best!"

"OMG yes thank you so much! I really appreciate you!"

"Yes, that makes sense to me. Thank you for reviewing."

"Thanks. All good stuff!"

I think you can see each response was much better than a simple, “Thank you.” Everyone wins. Each person I helped was very thankful. They felt better about me, which engaged liking, and my authority was enhanced in their eyes. I also benefitted because, as noted above, reciprocity was engaged. If I need help down the road don’t you think each of these people would happily step up to the plate? I know they would.

My persuasion advice for you is this – ask one more question this week. Whether by email or phone, after you’ve responded to someone’s request for help ask, “Did that help?” or “Does that give you everything you need?” I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the responses you get. Over time you’ll find it translates into becoming a more persuasive individual.

Brian Ahearn, CMCT®
Chief Influence Officer

influencePEOPLE
Helping You Learn to Hear “Yes”.

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5 Tips for Persuasive Presentations

The Influence People Blog — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 21:30:00 +0000

In June, I had the pleasure of giving a keynote presentation to about 200 members of HRACO (Human Resources of Central Ohio). It went really well and the best thing I can say is I persuaded many people to try some of the influence tips I shared.

Often people ask me what I do to prepare for a presentation. I’ll start by telling you what I don’t do – wing it. I always put in lot of time, effort and practice. Here are five tips you might find helpful next time you want to give a persuasive presentation.

1. Preparation – Vince Lombardi, Hall of Fame coach of the Green Bay Packers, said, “Most people have the will to win but few have the will to prepare to win.” This can’t be overstated enough. Nobody would expect an athlete to perform with excellence without countless hours of practice so why should you expect to give a great presentation without plenty of practice?

When I do the Principles of Persuasion workshop I stress this point – what you do beforethe thing you do quite often makes your attempt at influence much easier. I’ll spend at least an hour a day for weeks on end practicing my presentations. As I do so I’m timing myself to make sure I stay within the allotted time. I work on hand gestures, head movements at key times and voice inflection.

When I’m alone in the car I turn the radio off and use the down time to practice. When I’m working out alone, between exercises I practice parts of the talk. I’ll even record myself so I can hear how it sounds.

2. Visual Aids– I use Power Point as a visual aid to almost all of my presentations and I’ll have a handout for those who like to take notes. I highly recommend two books that really influenced how I use this tool – Presentation Zen and The Presentation Secrets ofSteve Jobs.

I’ve moved away from traditional text-filled slides, bullet points and lists. If I use words it’s usually one or two in very large font to drive home a key point. Other that that I go almost entirely with pictures because that’s how people think and best remember things.

I must tell you this; the first time you present without the text and bullet points it’s a little scary because you can’t glance at the screen for a reminder of what to say next. However, there are several great reasons to go this route:

It forces you to know your material inside and out which makes you look more like a professional.
If you do miss something no one is any wiser because they’re not thinking, “He didn’t cover that last bullet point.”
It keeps the audience focused on you rather than the screen.

3. Questions – I ask lots of questions. There are two reasons you want to do this. First, you can physically engage the audience by asking for a show of hands if they agree or disagree. The more you can physically involve people the more attention they’ll pay.

The second reason is people feel compelled to answer questions. When you ask questions, even without asking people to do something like raise their hands, they’ll get involved. You’ll see it with the head nodding. Even those who don’t nod, I’ll bet they’re answering the question in their heads so they’ve moved from passive listeners to active.

4. Introduction – A strong introduction is key because it sets the tone for why people should listen to you. This means you need a bio of less than 200 words so the event host can introduce you. This leverages the principle of authority because people pay attention to those they view as having superior knowledge or wisdom.

When I speak there are two critical differentiators I want people to know. First, I make sure people know I’m one of just 27 people in the world certified to train on behalf of Robert Cialdini, the world’s most cited living social psychologist. In addition to authority this also leverages the principle of scarcity which says people value things more when they think they’re rare.

I also want audience members to know people in 185 countries have taken time to read my blog. That’s a great “Wow!” factor that incorporates the principle of consensus. I want those in attendance to think, “If so many people around the world are reading his stuff he must be pretty good.”

5. Take Away Ideas– I want to make sure my audience has tangible ideas for each of the principles I talk about. It’s nice if they find the material interesting but the bottom line is showing them how it can help them enjoy more professional success and personal happiness. To do this I clearly state, “And here’s the application for you,” then I share with few ways they can use the principle I just discussed in every day situations.

Whole books are written on the subject of presentation excellence so there’s no way to do it justice in a short blog post. However, I hope you find these tips helpful. I know focusing on them has helped me make great strides in giving more persuasive presentations and I’m confident they can help you do the same.

Brian Ahearn, CMCT®
Chief Influence Officer

influencePEOPLE
Helping You Learn to Hear “Yes”.

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