The Science of Persuasion If_考试试题_职称英语

The Science of Persuasion

If leadership consists of getting things donethrough others, then persuasion is one of the leader's essential tools. Manyexecutives have assumed that this tool is beyond their grasp, available only tothe charismatic （有魅力的） and the eloquent. Over the pastseveral decades, though, experimental psychologists have learned which methodsreliably lead people to concede, comply, or change. Their research shows thatpersuasion is governed by several principles that can be taught and applied.

The first principle is that people are morelikely to follow someone who is similar to them than someone who is not. Wisemanagers, then, ask peers to help make their cases. Second, people are morewilling to cooperate with those who are not only like them but who like them,as well. So it's worth the time to uncover real similarities and offer genuinepraise.Third, experiments confirm the intuitive truth that people tend to treatyou the way you treat them. It's sound policy to do a favor before seeking one.Fourth, individuals are more likely to keep promises they make voluntarily andclearly. The message for managers here is to get commitments in writing. Fifth,studies show that people really do defer to （服从） experts. So before they attempt to exert influence, executives should takepains to establish their own expertise and not assume that it's self-evident.Finally, people want more of a commodity when it's scarce; it follows, then,that exclusive information is more persuasive than widely available data.

16 Experiments have confirmed the assumption ofmany executives.