How to Coach Yourself and Others Influencing, Inter Personal and Leadership Skills | Page 16
19. An Appeal From Aristotle
Aristotle, one of ancient Greece’s greatest minds, identified 3 appeals which were used
by speakers of his time. He called them: ethos, logos and pathos.
Ethos appeals are based on ethics and reputation. This could include endorsements from
key people, building credibility, or citing expert testimony. Ethos is Greek for
“character”.
Logos appeals are based on logic, and include statistics, facts and evidence.
Pathos appeals are based on emotion. This could range from fear of something you
don’t want to happen to hope for something you do want to happen.
Using all three kinds of appeals together will boost your persuasive power.
20. Tactical Influencing
An Influencing Strategy works best when used with six tactical conditions:
1. A raising of the awareness of the need for change. This uses the stealth approach by
influencing people gradually over a period of time until they can see no alternative to
your views.
2. A repetition of your arguments although not so much that you frighten people off.
3. A creating of uncertainty in people’s minds. When most people begin to have doubts,
they seek some kind of authoritative opinion to restore their mental balance.
4. Suggesting action which does not commit people and allows them a way out if they
don’t like it.
5. A sense of urgency that, unless people make up their minds soon, an important
opportunity will be missed.
6. Show passion and enthusiasm
21. Make It Acceptable
In her book, "The Change Masters", Rosabeth Moss Kanter argues that if you want
others to accept a change, you must use certain tactics to make the change appear
more acceptable.
So, when you present an idea, make it sound...
-
triable: for example, we'll run a pilot first
reversible: then they can go back to the old way if they don't like it.
divisible: if they don't like one aspect, we can ditch that and keep the rest.
concrete: tell them how it affects the bottom line.
familiar: explain the change in terms they understand.
congruent: set proposals that fit in with what is already happening.
sexy: make it attractive, fashionable, exciting to the powers-that-be and highprofile.