management case analysis
alnnrye
s6persuasion_S22018.pdf
Management Competencies
Session 6: PERSUASION Instructor Name
Date
Agenda
1. Warm-up case 2. Rhetorical skills (incl. Cialdini’s weapons of
influence) 3. 12 Angry Men video case 4. Nudging skills
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link back to communication framework • most of the time communication is an
attempt at persuasion: • convince others to accept selected
“facts” (and act accordingly) • impress a particular image of the
speaker on the audience (and thus compel them to accept the speaker’s message)
• urge audience to accept the relationship suggested by the speaker (e.g. to gain trust)
• hence, an important part of communication skill is to craft statements in such a way that they are persuasive, i.e. influence/change the audiences thoughts and actions 3
KEY CONCEPTS FOR TODAY
RHETORICAL SKILL
(influence via communication)
NUDGING SKILL
(influence via contextual/architectural
setup)
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2. RHETORIC
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3 classic “modes of persuasion” (types of appeals)
ethos pathos
logos
speaker-focused: audience-focused:
content-focused: • presentation of premises (assumptions, facts,
testimony), interpretations (e.g. analogies and comparisons), and conclusions
• perception of a speaker or writer’s character (e.g. warmth, empathy, values, etc.) and competence (education, experience, etc.)
• known reputation and authority of a speaker is extrinsic ethos
• character and competence conveyed in the text itself is intrinsic ethos
• appeal to an audience’s self- interest (is agreeing with the speaker advantageous to me?), identity (does the speaker flatter me/my group?), emotions (does the speaker excite my anger, pity, etc.?)
• direct manipulation rarely succeed
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Example to Illustrate Logos, Pathos, Ethos
• August 2016, US presidential candidate Donald Trump’s “what do you have to lose?” appeal to African American voters
• As you watch the clip – consider what tactics Trump is using in his appeal and the effectiveness of the appeal
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Cialdini’s weapons of influence
reciprocity
commitment & consistency
social proof
authority
scarcity
we are more likely to accede to the request of a perceived authority figure.
opportunities seem more valuable when they are less available.
we view a behavior as correct in a given situation to the degree that we see other performing it.
once we make a choice or make a stand, we will encounter personal and interpersonal pressures to behave consistently with that commitment.
we should repay, in kind, what another person has provided us.
liking
pathos
logos
ethos we are more likely to accede to the request of someone we feel sympathetic towards.
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READING: Cialdini, R. B. (2001). "Harnessing the Science of Persuasion." Harvard Business Review 79(9): 72-81.
OPTIONAL READING: Cialdini, R. B. and N. J. Goldstein (2004). "Social influence: Compliance and conformity." Annu. Rev. Psychol. 55: 591-621
the twelve jurors
movie case – “12 angry men” (1957)
#2 bank teller #3 messenger service #4 stock broker #5 man from slums #6 painter
#7 salesman
#8 architect#9 elderly man#10 garage owner#11 watchmaker#12 ad man
#1 foreman
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the twelve jurors
movie case – “12 angry men” (1957)
#2 bank teller #3 messenger service #4 stock broker #5 man from slums #6 painter
#7 salesman
#9 elderly man#10 garage owner#11 watchmaker#12 ad man
#1 foreman
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#8 architect
what makes juror #8 so persuasive?
subtle interpersonal tactics – the socratic leadership style
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1) Appear neutral and calm
2) “Let them talk” strategy • Surface information, (weak)
arguments, disagreements • Put burden of proof on others
(easier to criticize)
3) Undermining opponents credibility • Reveal others’ personal agenda • Draw out compromising or
inconsistent statements • And as a last resort…
Flame your opponent
Commitment & Consistency
Social Proof
Authority
susceptibility to influence (1 of 2)
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which jurors are most susceptible to influence?...and why?
susceptibility to influence (2 of 2)
• prepare the ground to make your audience susceptible/receptive to your influence attempts
• basic principle of timing: “what we present first, influences the way people experience what we present next” (framing/anchoring effect)
• tactics include : • 1) invoking unity (shared identity / “we” relationship) • 2) provide verbal cues (e.g. questions) that direct attention
to facts/feeling compatible with your appeal • 3) provide favorable non-verbal cues (e.g. from physical
environments)
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tune your audience!
NUDGE
one way to ”prepare the ground”: story telling a compelling narrative provides the setup, contextual cues, tropes (common, broadly understood narrative elements) and relatable characters that help prepare your audience to accept your key message (the “morale of the story”)
14 READING: Denning, S. (2004). Telling Tales. HBR 82(5)
abbreviated table
>> critical reflection: beware of bullshit/bullshitting
Harry G. Frankfurt • professor emeritus of philosophy at Princeton University • 1986 paper “on bullshit” republished in 2005 as a book, became a
bestseller • presents a theory of bullshit • defines bullshit as speech that is designed to impress but lacks a
direct concern for the truth (even for subjective truth) • liar ≠ bullshitter (liar has to know and care about the truth, that
motivates the liar’s efforts to conceal it)
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beware of bullshit/bullshitting bullshit = speech that is designed to impress but lacks a direct concern for the truth (even for subjective truth)
ethos pathos
logos
• inconsistent self-statements (implicit/explicit)
• self-statements that are inconsistent with past behavior/ reputation
• vague / inconsistent audience pandering
• overemphasis on emotional effects
• obscure but internally consistent logic
• lacking commitment to particular facts or values
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PRACTICAL GUIDANCE
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• many well intentioned presenters with important messages to communicate fail to persuade their audiences
• there are a number of common, easy-to-avoid mistakes (the “fatal five”)
• there are common characteristics of excellent presentations (interaction, clarity, enthusiasm)
• Goodman’s gives clear guidance on how to achieve excellence
OPTIONAL READING: Andy Goodman’s “Why Bad Presentations Happen to Good Causes”
3. NUDGING
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what’s a nudge? the classic example how do reduce bad aim and spray in men’s restroom urinal area?
nudge = subtle triggers for cognitive defaults and behavioral scripts (based on psychological research)
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NUDGE PRINCIPLES
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easy (to understand and do)
(considers cognitive overload; low barrier
for action)
attractive
(grabs attentions, stands out from the noise, and assessed
positively)
social
(connected to social norms and
assumptions)
timely
(nudge at the right moment)
nudging tactics in management
interaction rules/procedures
• schedule (allocated time for presentation, response, Q&A, etc.)
• discussion rules (e.g. “no judgment”, no defensive comments, etc.)
• voting arrangements: timing, public/private, decision rule
• timing of breaks
• documentation / issue tracking 21
participation setup
• who is at a meeting?
• what official roles are assigned?
• who sits where?
issues & options salience
• what issues are on the agenda
• issue/option framing
seating arrangements (1 of 2)
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leader selection
30%
70%
leader selection25%
7% 6% 4% 3% 7%
22%
7% 6% 4% 3% 7%
7% 1% 3% 4% 10%
seating arrangements (2 of 2)
competitive, cooperative, or communal?
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seating arrangement – horizontal differences
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snapshot by mors 430 student at elephant & castle
4. Key Takeaways
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Key Takeaways
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on the stage: practice your
rhetorical skills (pathos, ethos, logos)
behind the stage: practice your nudging skills
(EAST, situation/context)
prereq.: know your
audience
