How to Coach Yourself and Others How to Influence, Persuade and Motivate | Page 399

Inspiration
 Work towards a solution
 See a better future
 Are motivated by pleasure
 Want to move forward (have a vision)
D. Are your audience or prospects assertive or amiable?
Assertive
 Consider results more important than relationships
 Make decisions quickly
 Want to be in control Are task-oriented Don't waste time
 Are independent
Amiable
 Consider relationships more important than results
 Are friendly and loyal
 Like to build relationships
 Are great listeners
 Avoid contention
 Are nonassertive and agreeable
It is important to note that, when it comes to persuasion, personality
directions most like our own personality type create a feeling of comfort
and safety for us. Styles that differ from our own create tension and
defensiveness. Adaptive persuaders can match all personality directions.
Structuring Winning Arguments
Why should we be concerned with the structure of an argument? Well,
persuasive messages have several pieces that must be included. Just as
Plato stated that every message should have a structure like an animal
(head, body, and feet), so must our arguments follow an understandable
pattern.
There are two basic elements to any persuasive message. These are the
substance (arguments, facts, and content) and the form (pattern of
arrangement). If you make up the form and pattern of your presentation as
it comes into your head, it will be a detriment to long-term persuasion. A
confused mind says "no." If the audience can't follow your facts or the
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