Greetings!
This month's Inspiring Ideas focuses on how to harness the power of persuasion. With lessons from some of the world's leading authorities on business and human psychology, we look at a variety of different situations and techniques for convincing people to behave in the way you would like them to. Whether it's the relationship between boss and employee, company and customer or even outside of the business context, this issue brings you actionable insights and ideas.
Chris Stanley – Editor HSM Inspiring Ideas
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Tips from the Top
Jeffrey Pfeffer on how to maneuver power successfully
Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford's Graduate School of Business, Jeffrey Pfeffer discusses in a recent publication how being granted power doesn't necessarily mean that you know how to use it effectively. In order reach objectives, leaders must negotiate and strategically use authority to compel employees to act. Pfeffer candidly explains that to achieve goals you need more than just power; you must also know how to leverage it to ensure committees follow your lead. In these six tips he demonstrates that when utilizing authority successfully you are almost always simultaneously negotiating.
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Million Dollar Tales
Combine an environmentally motivated company with a leading psychologist in persuasive marketing and you create Opower. An innovative partner for utility companies keen to meet energy–efficiency targets and improve Smart Grid services, this green business is making a big difference by working on a small scale: contracted by utilities companies, Opower generates informative reports on household energy consumption as well as tips on how to reduce use, with the objective of reducing consumers’ carbon footprint. The strategy is based on persuasive behavior tactics developed by leading psychologist Robert Cialdini, an expert in the field of influence and negotiation. Together, the company and psychologist are successfully improving energy efficiency on a large scale. [Read +] |
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DELVING DEEPER
Extracted from Knowledge@Wharton, this article discusses the book The Art of Woo: Strategic Persuasion to Sell Your Ideas. Written by two Wharton professors, the book argues that the best way to negotiate is to move away from coercive tactics and look for a relationship–based, emotionally intelligent form of persuasion. The Art of Woo presents a simple, four–step process that will ensure you sell ideas with more success.
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Extracted From Knowledge@Wharton |
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| MULTIMEDIA TOOLBOX |
 VIDEO Joseph Grenny, New York Times bestselling author of Crucial Conversations, gives an example of working with one of the most amazing influencers he has ever met: the owner of Delancey, who only hires drug addicts and criminals. By engaging in the six sources of influence, she effectively influences employees who are naturally resistant to change. [watch video] |
| VIDEO William Ury, co–founder of Harvard’s Program on Negotiation, gives an example of how world–renowned director Steven Spielberg managed to negotiate with an elementary school bully. By “building a golden bridge,” you can make it easy for the other side to say “yes.” [watch video] |
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