How do you persuade others around to your way of thinking? Daniel H Pink, the author of To Sell Is Human has a foolproof way to bring people around. And all it takes is two questions.
How To Persuade Others – Ask The Right Questions
Now, as Daniel himself states in the video, this is not a “trick” that can work in every situation. For some situations, I find that rather than trying to persuade others, the illusion of choice is a good way to go. Let me explain.
I have a 5-year-old son. Anyone who has ever had to deal with a child of this age knows they are fussy and generally a pain in the ass when it comes to making decisions. What to wear, what to eat, games to play etc. So what I do is this. I offer him a couple of choices. For instance, I ask “What would you like for tea? You can have pasta or fish fingers.” He now gets to “pick” his choice himself. Giving him that slight bit of independence all children need. But really it’s an illusion. Every part of the process was controlled by me.
Now, this can work in other areas too. No matter a professional setting or a personal one. Giving people that little bit of freedom to decide can give you what you want while they retain the illusion that they made the choice, not you. Try it, it’s surprisingly effective.