Power is intricately connected to persuasion in that it increases your ability to persuade, influence and stir action in others. Power enhances all aspects of persuasion and influence. Power will magnify your ability to hit the persuasion target and it opens the window for you to have greater persuasive capabilities and influence over your audience. Consequently, when your audience perceives that you hold great power over them, you will be very persuasive in moving them to action.
Power exists only because your audience allows it to. They grant you the ability to persuade them based upon your real or perceived power over them. Your audience has the discretion to follow, to remain indifferent or to rebel against your power. Even if your boss has made threats or the thief wields a gun over you, you have the choice of deciding which behavior you will use in response to his power play.
You only have power over a person to the extent that you control something s/he wants, needs or desires. This "something" could come in the form of safety, information, rewards, freedom or avoidance of punishment. Keep in mind that power does not have to be exerted to be effective. A bank robber holds power over his audience as he stands menacingly with a pointed gun at them, yet he doesn't have to actually shoot anyone to exert that power. A police officer has power over you when he's simply sitting in his police car, even if he's not following you with his siren and lights on. Likewise, the fact that your boss can fire you, even if he hasn't made any threats, gives her/ him a position of power over you.
Interestingly, it seems to be natural human tendency to seek not only out power but also those who have it. Dr. Floyd Allport, a social psychologist, talks about this instinctive characteristic in his book Social Psychology. He believes that deep inside each person there exists a desire to produce reactions in others. He further asserts that as we age, these desires grow even more strongly into a yearning for control. Let's face it-we hunger for power. When we have power, we feel more confident and in control. Why is power so seductive? Because when we possess power and control over our environment, we feel strong, invincible and often exhilarated.
Indeed, the world runs on the concept of power. There would be no order without it. The legal system has the right and power to interpret laws. The military and police have the power to enforce laws. A manager has the power to fire a dishonest employee. Parents have the power to discipline their children.
As Abraham Lincoln said, "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." The question remains then, what makes power good or bad? Power tends to make us nervous-and with good reason. We have all seen great abuses of power-many of them tragic, deadly abuses. We also feel that power inhibits our personal freedoms and our ability to control our own lives. But just like persuasion, power is really a neutral concept. It can be used to inspire and uplift to great good. The good or bad aspect of it comes from the person who is exercising that power. If a police officer uses his power to stop a murderer, he is bringing good to the world. However, he could just as easily use that same power to help drug dealers, thereby bringing bad into the world. Here you see that the power is the same, but the intentions of the person behind it are different and ultimately the controlling factor.
Everyone persuades for a living. There's no way around it. Whether you're a sales professional, an entrepreneur, or even a stay at home parent, if you are unable to convince others to your way of thinking, you will be constantly left behind. Get your free reports at Magnetic Persuasion to make sure that you are not left watching others pass you on the road to success. Donald Trump said it best, "Study the art of persuasion. Practice it. Develop an understanding of its profound value across all aspects of life."
Conclusion
Persuasion is the missing puzzle piece that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost because of your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you've seen some success, but think of the times you couldn't get it done. Has there ever been a time when you did not get your point across? Were you unable to convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and accomplish their goals? What about your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, know what your prospect is thinking and feeling, feel more confident in your ability to persuade. Professional success, personal happiness, leadership potential, and income depend on the ability to persuade, influence, and motivate others. |
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