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Often, the art of persuasion is thought of as the gentle nudging of others along the path of agreement... with you!  True. But it is much more. Organizations today have become more flat and authority is often not associated with position. Tasks are given to teams of experts -- each with their own niche. Most things need to be negotiated, step by step, until it becomes a shared solution, a shared responsibility, a shared goal or a team decision. And it can't be the lowest common denominator -- the lowest point of agreement. At every point, you need to persuade people if you champion an idea or a solution. None of us is as smart as all of us! How do you go about persuading people to move in a direction you think is the right one and at the same time improve the idea by annexing their ideas too? Hmmmmmmm! Here's some help.
Step 1:

Know your area well. In your area of responsibility, become the best in your organization. Better still, the best in the industry, the go-to guy in your business. Dig in, read and learn everything you possibly can. If people sense you don't know what you are talking about, you are as persuasive as a noodle.

Step 2:

Listen and learn from others. Meet one-on-one with the key players and listen to their perspective as well as to the issues that matter most to them. This will give you a better context for the persuasive direction you will take. Also, by listening to what people say, you communicate to them how much you value their participation and input. When you do this, they will surely listen to you as well. Not only that, they will feel that you care about their interests and if they are convinced of this, they will be there for you.

Step 3:

Improve your presentation skills. If your aim is to persuade, make sure you learn how to identify the benefits people listening to you will get out of your proposal. Don't speak first. Listen. Add their ideas into your direction and open with agreements on these. Open with, "Hey; there may be some agreement here on a direction that works. Mary said... And Surajit added... And what about what Pat said?"

Step 4:

Get a voice that works. Voices kill people and their ideas. Ask friends to comment on your speaking. Is it too loud, a whisperer, the CNBC nasal scratch, multiple "ya knows" or "ahhhhhhs." Hey; you really can change the way you speak and you may need a real overhaul in this area without even knowing it!

Step 5:

Build strong relationships. When you have strong relationships with people, they tend to trust you. When you have a track record in the relationship of being fair and trustworthy, they will tend to consider your proposal and support even when they have doubts about some issues.

Step 6:

Get a champion. If you have not yet established strong relationships with the parties involved, get someone they respect to listen to your ideas first and then perhaps endorse them in the meeting. When someone credible to them accepts the position, most likely they will support it.

Step 7:

Build up your position. Support your position with valid data and information. Provide evidence. Tell stories people can relate to. Get experts to endorse the idea -- especially the in-house experts that people in the organization respect.

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