Powerful Persuasion #5 - The Rule of Authority

How did you get on with using Rule #4 Liking?

What personal interests did you share?

What additional commonalities did you discover with team members?

Have you realised just how much your team (and your family) is like you? And that those you find it easiest to persuade are, well, like you? And that those who you find it difficult to persuade are, not like you? So what are you going to do about liking what they like?

Rule #5 Authority

The rule says that people respect authority. They want to follow the lead of real experts.

Uniforms, Titles, Offices are all examples of the trappings of influence.

Giving the appearance of authority increases the likelihood that others will comply with requests – even if that authority is illegitimate.

Try this today:

• Dress the part. You want to look as if you are in authority, dress as if you are in authority. If this means suit and tie, labcoat, outlandish colours (check out the most respected professors, rock stars etc). Whatever designates authority in your business.
• Leverage your qualifications and titles. You knew you took that MBA for a reason and, for most, it does convey some authority – perhaps less than you were promised by the ‘very authoritative’ sales pitch from the B. School but some authority none the less.

Titles do convey authority, as does your name. If I want to create authority in a group of strangers, I am Dr. Kenworthy, if I do not need the authority to persuade them, I am John. Just don’t call me Mr. Kenworthy because I look around for my father :-)

This is not just the job title these days as many people are already vastly ‘over-titled’. Others will look for real and legitimate signs that your authority is real. Though sure, drive a sports car, adorn your wrist with a (real) Rolex and people will assume that you are rich (remember that they may not ‘like’ it though).

Caveats? Of course there are! "Fake it till you make it" works for a tiny few but they get caught out eventually. And the Internet instant MBA... forget it!

By now, you are ready to demonstrate your authority on the subject of persuasiveness. So share an example of when you were at your most persuasive with our community below:

Nervous about opening yourelf up in public? So is everyone else the first time. We only bite a little.