ABSTRACT
Persuasion is widely perceived as a skill reserved for selling products and closing deals. It can be used in selling and deal-clinching situations, and it can be misused to manipulate people. Effective persuasion becomes a negotiating and learning process through which a persuader leads colleagues to a problem's shared solution. Effective persuasion involves four distinct and essential steps. First, effective persuaders establish credibility. Second, they frame their goals in a way that identifies common ground with those they intend to persuade. Third, they reinforce their positions using vivid language and compelling evidence. And fourth, they connect emotionally with their audience. In the workplace, credibility grows out of two sources: expertise and relationships. Credibility is the cornerstone of effective persuading, without it, a persuader won't be given the time of day. With credibility established and a common frame identified, persuasion becomes a matter of presenting evidence.
