UHN – ROTMAN LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 2011 – 2012 Political Intelligence: The Psychology of Persuasion BRIAN R. GOLDEN, PhD bgolden@rotman.utoronto.ca

Persuasion Liking Reciprocity People like those who are like them Uncover real similarities and offer genuine praise Reciprocity People repay in kind Give what you want to receive

Persuasion Social Proof Consistency People follow the lead of similar respected others Use peer power whenever it is available Consistency People align with their clear commitments Make their commitments active, public, and voluntary

Persuasion Authority Scarcity People defer to experts Expose your expertise. Do not assume it is evident Scarcity People want more of what they can have less of Highlight unique benefits and exclusive information

Influence Tactics in Decision Groups Listen to others Don’t consider today’s opposition the enemy No direct opposition in minority position Foot in the door e.g., “Is it possible that……”

Influence Tactics in Decision Groups Move slowly with small wins Move from “anti” to “doubt” to “pro” e.g., from guilty, to possibly not guilty, to innocent Attack the case one piece at a time e.g., knife, hearing, eyesight

Influence Tactics in Decision Groups Reframing Purpose e.g., convict someone or determine the truth Setting the criteria by which decisions are made Distinguish between fact and judgment Invoking norms of rationality Invoking norms of morality

Influence Tactics in Decision Groups Identify who is an easy win and address them first build coalition partners one at a time Shore up gains & show momentum is on your side e.g., vote Obtain public commitment to cement a position e.g., asking juror to defend position

Influence Tactics in Decision Groups Get others involved in process e.g., “How many seconds do you think it would take for the train to go by?” Get group members to “identify” with the boy e.g., “What movie did you see last week? Who starred in it?” Let others use their own words against them e.g., “This isn’t an exact science”

Influence Tactics in Decision Groups Give others an “out” without losing face You may cement another’s opposition by attacking aggressively Appeal to various needs of group members e.g., Architect accepts cough drop from bank teller Give group members credit for their ability to contribute e.g., “You grew up in a tough neighborhood. Is this how you’d hold a knife?”