How to Coach Yourself and Others Influencing, Inter Personal and Leadership Skills | Page 65

5. Law of Authority
Vendors often quote vague authorities to sell their wares, “Experts say our product is the
best.“ But who are these experts? What are their qualifications to make these claims? Do
they have a vested interest in selling the company’s products or services? In addition,
use this Law to establish your own credentials/credibility early in the negotiation.
6. Law of Social Proof
This law works when you draw on testimonials from satisfied customers or clients
(unscripted ones are best) to encourage new prospects to buy your services and
products.
The law also can be used to convince your supervisors or staff that their counterparts in
other divisions or companies are following similar suggestions to yours. People want to
feel like they are part of an established community that already knows where it is going.
4. Ethical Issues
Persuasion can be used for good or ill. In an environment that seeks to follow ethical
rules, it should only be
used to make lives better. Manipulation occurs when you exploit or deceive others solely
for your own gain.
This does not result in a win-win situation.
5. Summary
Being adept at persuasion is often the missing key to success in the workplace and your
personal life. If you give people what they want via the Six Laws of Persuasion, they’ll
most likely return the favor. And when you recognize that you are being manipulated,
you can call the other side on their tactics and counter with an appropriate strategy. This
will lead to a more effective way of achieving the goals of all negotiating parties.
Resources
Carnegie, Dale. How to Win Friends and Influence People. New York: Pocket Books,
1936.
Cialdini, Robert B. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. New York: William Morrow,
1993.
Fisher, Roger and William Ury. Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In.
New York: Penguin, 2003.
Hogan, Kevin. The Psychology of Persuasion: How to Persuade Others to Your Way of
Thinking. Gretna, LA: Pelican, 1996.