Entries by Brian Ahearn, CMCT®

Political Ads – Tis the Season for Manipulation

Last weekend, my wife and I were in Pennsylvania, visiting her family and enjoying some football games. However, with the November 7th election just around the corner, there was no escaping the onslaught of political ads on every television station we tuned into. It got me thinking about the power of persuasion and manipulation in […]

The Cialdini Institute: Unlocking Your Powers of Persuasion

Four months ago, I introduced you to The Cialdini Institute, a groundbreaking venture dedicated to harnessing the power of the science of ethical influence. Since then, the Institute has been making waves in the world of influence, and today, I am thrilled to share more about our mission, the brilliant minds behind it, and the […]

I Don’t Like that Person…

You’ve been there before, haven’t you? You meet someone, and something inside says, “I don’t like that person.” Or maybe the dislike stems from a bad interaction. Abraham Lincoln felt the same way at times, but he knew how to remedy the situation. One of my favorite books is Team of Rivals by Doris Kerns […]

Making a Compelling Case

In sales, two people can work for the same organization, selling the same product or service, and yet one person might be highly successful, whereas the other struggles mightily. How can that be when they’re selling to essentially the same customer base? Often, it’s the case because one person knows how to make their case […]

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 […]