How to Coach Yourself and Others How to Influence, Persuade and Motivate | Página 205

Chapter 4
The Rule of Obligation
How to Get Anyone to Do a Favor for You
Overview
Nothing is more costly than something given free of charge.
—JAPANESE SAYING
Obligation has been used as a persuasive technique since the beginning of
time. Door-to-door salespeople offer free brushes, free encyclopedias, and
free estimates in the hope of securing a sale. People throw parties in their
homes, serving refreshments and giving away free Tupperware or other
products. We all know how hard it is to attend a friend's party, eat their
food, take their free gift, and then go home without buying a thing. So,
what do we do? We order the cheapest item in the catalog to get rid of the
obligation or indebtedness we feel to the host.
During World War I, some soldiers were given a special assignment to
make sorties into enemy territory in order to capture and question enemy
soldiers. A particularly skilled German soldier was instructed to fulfill one
such mission. As he had on numerous other occasions, he negotiated the
area between fronts and caught an enemy soldier off guard, eating his
lunch alone in a trench. Unaware of what was happening, the startled
soldier was easily captured. Not knowing what else to do, the soldier tore
off a piece of bread and gave it to his captor. The German was so
surprised by the friendly gesture that he couldn't follow through with his
assignment. Turning away from the soldier, he headed back into neutral
territory and on to face the wrath of his superiors.[1]
Maybe this has happened to you. You are attempting to buy a car and are
playing hardball with the sales rep. You've negotiated back and forth and
are getting nowhere. You are ready to walk away when he says that he
will talk to his manager one last time. As he gets up, he says, "You know,
I'm thirsty, so I'm going to get myself a soda. Would you like one?"
"Sure!" you say, oblivious to his tactic. He comes back with the soda and
a better deal from his manager. It's not the deal you wanted, but you feel
it's the best you're going to get. So, you accept it. As you think about it
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