The Power of Persuasion

I came across this courtesy the good folks at Success Magazine. While I don't necessarily like the word "persuasion" when it comes to coaching, the fact of the matter is that coaching is leadership, leadership is influence, and a form of influence is persuasion. The following excerpt from Tony Jeary is applicable to coaching... and especially for those of you in the collegiate ranks, towards recruiting.

"Persuasion is the cornerstone of great execution," says Tony Jeary, productivity coach and author of Strategic Acceleration: Succeed at the Speed of Life. The most successful people effectively persuade others to take action on their behalf by using three principles, Jeary says.

1. Communicate at the belief level. "Communicating at the level of belief involves a heavy dose of why constantly being explained. 'Why' is communicated by explaining value and purpose of what you are presenting," Jeary says. "If you believe in your vision, others will as well."

2. Set a powerful example by your own behavior. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "What you do speaks so loud I cannot hear what you say." Only 7 percent of communication and persuasion is oral. The other 93 percent is the result of what people see and sense, based on tone and other nonverbal clues, Jeary says. "If you want to persuade others, exceed expectations yourself. Nothing persuades more effectively than a leader who sets the right example for his team, children and colleagues to follow."

3. Demonstrate confidence in what you say and do. "The ability to present yourself, your requests and your vision with confidence is another important nonverbal piece of the persuasion formula," Jeary says. "Don't be tempted to give a less assertive opinion for the purpose of not appearing arrogant. When you say things like, 'You probably know more about this than I do,' you are unwittingly sabotaging your own perceived confidence. Know what you want to say and how you want to say it."