There are two ways of making a person do what you want – force and persuasion. If you compel a person to do your bidding you are behaving like a despot, tyrant or bully; this is undesirable. Persuasion is better way.
Persuasion is the process by which a person’s attitude and behavior towards something are influenced by another person’s communication. Messrs Houseman, Lahiff and Penrose define it as “the art of getting people to do something that they wouldn’t ordinarily do if you didn’t ask”, while a dictionary defines it as “causing an individual to believe or do something by reasoning with him/her.
To achieve the objective of persuasion you can use the following approaches:
a) Do not rush the receiver of your communication by overwhelming him with your arguments. Give him hints and suggestions and then allow him enough time to think the matter over by himself.
b) If you find the person holding views contrary to your own try to meet him half way, do not attempt to impose your views on him.
c) Find out the beta noire or thing that the person dislikes and avoid that topic or theme.
d) Argue from the viewpoint of the person you are persuading so that the experience and arguments have a familiar ring for him or her.
e) Do not make the person feel a fool because he does not share your point of view. Request and appeal whenever possible.
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