Be Grateful and Celebrate

Many of us celebrate holidays this time of year, and they often include spending time with family and friends.  Please take time to be grateful for all we have, including our loved ones.  And celebrate the coming of the new year.

Best wishes to you all as we finish up 2013, and Happy New Year!

Influence Versus Persuasion

Today, I'll point you to a short article from the Harvard Business Review Blog, "To Have Real Influence, Focus on a Great Outcome," by Mark Goulston and John Ullmen.  The authors have written a book, "Real Influence:  Persuade Without Pushing and Gain Without Giving In."  The HBR Blog post is the first of four articles based on the book.

I encourage you to read the article, but here is a quote to entice you:

When people paint a picture of a great outcome, they’re not trying “to persuade people to do something important.” They’re trying to “positively influence them” to get them to a better place.

In contemplating this article, I realize I often fall back on the less effective method of trying to persuade someone else that my approach is best, my methodology is superior, or my vision is the right one.  Notice in the paragraph above the shift in perspective to the other person.  In order to influence someone to get to a better place, you have to focus on that person, not on yourself.

There is a lot of ego involved in persuasion, but a focus on influence can help limit your ego.  You are trying to help someone get to a better place, rather than telling them to come to your place.  I believe that your better place is not likely to be my place, but I have to work hard to keep that in mind.  I'll try to remember to influence rather than persuade.