Entries by Brian Ahearn, CMCT®

Quarterly Newsletter

75% of the year is behind us, only 25% left. Are you on track to reach your goals? If not, there’s still time to make up ground. Even if you miss them, pushing hard in Q4 will help you build momentum going into 2024. The third quarter was a little more relaxed on my end […]

More Data Doesn’t Equal More Influence

We live in a data driven society. Data generated then powered by AI affects all of us from the movies we watch, to the advertisements we see, and the insurance rates we pay. For example, based on your viewing habits, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and nearly every other streaming service takes your data, runs it through […]

Transform Your Sales Approach Using Ethical Influence

Have you ever wondered what it takes to become an ethical influencer? In a world filled with persuasion approaches, understanding the science of ethical influence can set you apart as a a person of integrity. In this post, we’ll consider a fundamental concept from Robert Cialdini’s New York Times best-seller, Pre-suasion, and show you how […]

The Leadership Lever in Sports and Business

I’m in my happy place! September through December is my favorite time of the year. Not only is the weather beautiful in Central Ohio (at least through the fall), but the holidays are just around the corner and it’s the start of college football season. I didn’t attend The Ohio State University but growing up […]

Influence: A Force for Good or Evil?

Recently, I watched a Netflix documentary on cult leaders. It was a fascinating lesson in psychological approaches used to win over, then control followers. It’s easy to think, “I’d never fall for that,” but that thought could be dangerous because most people who get caught up in cults appear to be very normal people for […]

The Persuasive Power of a Yellow Sticky Note

In the decades that I’ve been teaching influence, it’s abundantly clear that most people find the research on influence and persuasion fascinating. I certainly do and my fascination with the science changed the course of my career. However, something else I’ve noticed is that many people struggle to implement the findings from social psychology and […]

TEDx Talk … Please Read … then Watch

In May I let you know my TEDx Talk was available for viewing. Shortly after posting it to my YouTube site I was contacted by the TED organization. They asked me to remove it because the only social channel that can host TED talks is their site. Naturally, I complied but that meant most of […]

What are Principles of Persuasion?

Over the years I’ve heard many people talk about tips, tricks, and tactics to influence and persuade people. I recoiled at that language because we (Cialdini Method Certified Trainers) teach principles of persuasion. But what exactly are “principles of persuasion”? What is a Principle? Let’s start with principle. One definition for principle is a basic […]

Influence isn’t a Magic Wand

Influence – what exactly is it? Well, let’s start by looking at what influence is not. Influence isn’t a magic wand.  Such a mistaken belief is perhaps the reason why I instinctively cringe at books or seminars with titles or marketing pitches that assure you the power to instantly convince others, achieve a positive response […]