Michael Carducci (@MichaelCarducci) gave a great session on how to increase your influence with others.  My notes are:

• Exercise in Influence
  • Magic trick
• Real Magic == Applied Psychology
• 85% of success id human engineering and influence
  • people are irrational
• Not enough to have a good case
• 12 tips
  • You act first – Law of Reciprocity (if you do a favor then you get a favor)
    • Absolutely! I know if the situation were reversed you would do the same for me.
    • Of course, I know It’s important that this gets done and I’m happy to help I’m sure you would do the same if situation was reversed
    • Works in negotiations too
    • Always start with the large ask first – Counter request right away to make it received as a concession
  • Begin in a friendly way
  • Get the other person saying yes immediately
  • We are motivated by scarcity
    • What do your solution provide that you can’t get somewhere else
  • Dramatize your ideas – stories resonate in a way facts and figures can’t
  • Consensus
    • People more likely to say yes when they see other people saying yes
    • Listen to other ideas – don’t contradict “actually that turns out not to be the case”
  • Consistency – people live up to what they write down
  • Authority – if an expert says it, then it must be true (you are the expert)
    • Your Expertise comes from
      • Background
      • Experiences
      • Trustworthiness
    • Lead with a weakness in your case – shows knowledge and honesty
  • Be liked
    • similarities
    • compliments
    • cooperative efforts
  • Don’t ague and criticize
  • Try to honestly see things from the other person’s perspectives
  • Admit when your wrong
  • Be a good listener