McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Chapter 18 The Art of Persuasion

18-2 The Art of Persuasion Management author Fred Fiedler writes: –Leadership is the use of influence to accomplish a task Daniel Goleman, author of Working with Emotional Intelligence, writes: –Emotional intelligence (EI) is an essential requirement for effective leadership –No matter what you call it, leadership success depends on understanding and dealing with people –Summarizes the character and ability of successful leaders with “nice guys finish first”

18-3 The Art of Persuasion High profile examples of the importance of understanding and dealing with people –Louis V. Gerstner, Jr., former chairman of IBM –Factors in Gerstner’s success: His ability to deal with people Personal appeals to customers

18-4 The Art of Persuasion Caring leaders have emotional intelligence: –They balance emotional intelligence with a people-oriented style –Willing to make decisions –Do not duck problems –Purposeful, warm, and understanding –Democratic and show respect to all –Appreciative, trustful, and gentle The successful leader is caring, understands people, and deals with them effectively

18-5 The Art of Persuasion Elements of emotional intelligence: –Self-awareness –Impulse control –Persistence –Confidence –Self-motivation –Empathy –Social deftness The overriding characteristic is persuasiveness –Effective leaders can influence others

18-6 Elements of the Art of Persuasion Successful leaders have mastered the are of persuasion: –An understanding of people –The effective use of words –The ability to manage conflict

18-7 An Understanding of People Napoleon Bonaparte was a master of persuasion –Determined what people wanted, and then did everything to help them get it Most of us do the opposite: –We decide what we want, then try to persuade others to want the same thing The essence of leadership: – Helping others to achieve their goals

18-8 Elements of the Art of Persuasion Important in human relations is the ability to see another person’s viewpoint –Vince Lombardi: Coaches who can outline plays are a dime a dozen. Give me a leader who can get inside his players, find their talents, read their minds, and motivate them –Lyndon Johnson: People do what they do for their own reasons He accomplished his goals by helping others achieve theirs

18-9 The Effective Use of Words Vocabulary, clarity, and eloquence can be used to persuade others to take action –Leaders can inspire with a phrase: “Of the people, by the people, and for the people”—Abraham Lincoln “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” — Franklin Roosevelt “As not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country”—John F. Kennedy

18-10 The Effective Use of Words A leader’s words can be a determining factor in times of crisis –Winston Churchill, bracing Britons for war: “We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in the seas and oceans, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender”

18-11 The Effective Use of Words Winston Churchill, expressing gratitude to airmen: –“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few” On duty and service: –“Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will say, “This was their finest hour.”

18-12 The Effective Use of Words Winston Churchill, on the importance of words and the power of persuasion: –“If you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time a tremendous whack!”

18-13 The Effective Use of Words Patrick Henry, revolutionary and patriot, who proclaimed: –“Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!”

18-14 The Effective Use of Words Although day-to-day leaders are unlikely to face the magnitude of challenges that Winston Churchill did: –They are still required to communicate their ideas and inspire others –They must be convincing in conveying information and effective in generating emotion

18-15 The Effective Use of Words Two principles required for credibility and trust: –Speak the truth –Speak from the heart Leaders should: –Forget personal ego –Concentrate on the audience –Consider what is important to them –Address interests honestly, directly, and to the point

18-16 The Effective Use of Words Turning points in history when the actions of leaders changed all that followed: –Gettysburg One of the bloodiest battles of the war –Little Round Top When defeat seemed inevitable, Chamberlain ordered his outnumbered men to attack with all they had left… bayonets His appeal was so compelling that they did It changed the course of the war

18-17 The Ability to Manage Conflict Leaders will fail if they can’t deal with conflict –Coping strategies: Recognize that conflict is natural View conflict as an opportunity Settle conflicts reasonably and fairly, considering everyone’s needs –If involved parties do not want to resolve the issue: Agree to disagree Invite third-party intervention Walk separate paths

18-18 The Ability to Manage Conflict –If involved parties want to resolve the issue: Reframe the problem by having each party restate the problem from the other person’s viewpoint

18-19 The Ability to Manage Conflict Conflict is a fact of human life –No two people will see eye to eye all the time –Creative conflict is needed, not destructive conflict To deal with conflict, people fall into habits and patterns by placing different emphasis on: –Cooperativeness: the desire to satisfy another’s needs and concerns –Assertiveness: the desire to satisfy one’s needs and concerns

18-20 Styles of Conflict Combinations of Cooperativeness and Assertiveness

18-21 Styles of Conflict Avoidance—uncooperative and unassertive Accommodation—cooperative, but unassertive Domination—uncooperative, but assertive Compromise—moderately cooperative and assertive Collaboration—cooperative and assertive

18-22 The Ability to Manage Conflict Conflict styles can have very different outcomes: –Avoidance and accommodation create lose-lose situations –Domination and compromise create win-lose situations –Collaboration reconciles differences: Results in win-win situations Most preferred style