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 […]
