Do you find persuasion easy? For most of us, the answer probably is some version of “sometimes.” It’s a broad question, with lots of variables: what you are “asking” for, the environment and situation, the person being asked, and several other variables can all play a part in how easily the persuasion happens… or if it happens at all.
In our experience, persuasion is all about the “foundation” that you lay, the work you do ahead of time, before the ask even comes. Here at The Latimer Group, we call that foundation “pre-persuasion.” Like so many other things in life, when a good foundation is built lots of good things become possible.
So, what, exactly, is “pre-persuasion?” It’s all the work you do before you make the ask that makes your audience more receptive and open to what you have to say. It involves mind-bending concepts like preparing for meetings, treating people with respect, audience understanding, message preparation, listening, and building credibility. It may seem glaringly obvious, but you’d be amazed how often people overlook these critical steps towards good (and successful) persuasion. Your chances for persuasion success actually have very little to do with the final conversation when the ask is made. Far more often than not, the outcome is largely, if not completely, determined by what happened prior to the final ask.
Truly persuasive people are always ready to engage in “pre-persuasion.” They are always listening, always keeping their awareness open, always treating people with respect, always doing their best to be as prepared as possible. So when the moment of the ask actually comes, a strong foundation has already been built.
And even after the ask has been made, that process of good listening, building credibility, etc. should continue, because you’re always setting yourself up for future persuasion. When you continue to treat people well after the ask, we might call that “post-persuasion.” But in reality it is simply pre-persuasion for the next ask!
Can you still get a favorable outcome if you don’t lay that pre-persuasion groundwork? Sure. But your results will be far less predictable and consistent.
Lay the foundation. Make it part of how you show up. Everything else becomes easier when you do.
Good luck.
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Does your team:
– Overwhelm the audience with too much detail?
– Make things too complicated?
– Fail to ask for what they want or need?
Does your organization:
– Waste time because of poor internal communication?
– Take too long to make decisions?
– Struggle to clarify and frame discussions?
Do your leaders:
– Exhibit poor executive presence?
– Lean on incomplete communication skills?
– Fail to align the organization?
We transform teams and individuals with repeatable toolsets for persuasive communication. Explore training, coaching, and consulting services from The Latimer Group.
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