The Power of Persuasion: 4 Basic Persuasion Skills

By Charles Scott
We are working in the field of communication. Most preachers and leaders fully comprehend the power of persuasion and the necessity of improving our communication skills. Jay Conger wrote in the Harvard Business Review, “Persuasion skills exert far greater influence over behavior than formal power structures.” If this is true then we must rely more on the ability to persuade than the power structure to lead those God has called us to serve.

Here are four basic persuasion skills:

1. People will listen to you if they like you.
   The best example of this is Tupperware. Tupperware products are sold by people who host parties in their homes and research shows that fondness for the hostess played a major role in purchase decisions. If you truly influence people two main roles play into the consideration: similarity and praise. Similarity draws people together and praise holds them together. Good leaders find areas of similarity to bond themselves to others. Then, good leaders praise and reward people for their dedicated service.
   
2. People will listen to you if you listen to them.
   The eternal truth is, “What you sow you will reap.” An amazing number of leaders believe that everyone should listen to them but they do not take time to listen to others.
   
3. People will listen to their peers more than they listen to you.
   The simple truth is that influence is stronger from the horizontal relationship and not the vertical relationship.
   
4. People will listen if they are convinced you are committed.
   People need to know that you are totally committed to the project you are asking for their commitment. Research shows that once people make a commitment they seldom change. This was true in the recent presidential election – most people made up their mind early and were not influenced by the campaign process. There is a vast difference between a commitment and an unwelcome burden.