Be prepared for the future of work by upping your persuasion skills. Use these competencies to convince others to follow your recommendations.

1. B R O U G H T T O Y O U B Y
Y O U R C H I E F P E N G U I N
M E L I S S A S A S S I
The Art of
Persuasion
15 STEPS TO ROCKING THE ART OF PERSUASION
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2. @mentorafrika
How to
convince others
to...
TAKE ACTION
SUPPORT YOUR IDEAS
AGREE UPON YOUR
RECOMMENDED
SOLUTIONS
Action is the key.
Supporting you directly &
indirectly is another element of
the secret sauce.
And, finally, agreeing with what
you're recommending.

3. Persuasion
IT'S A FORM OF ART & IT ISN'T EASY.
@mentorafrika

4. Recognize when Others
are Trying to Influence You
Influence Others

5. Requires Self
Expression
Challenging
Intellectually
Complex
Requires
Creativity
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6. How easy will
it be?
TIME TO ASSESS THE DEGREE
OF DIFFICULTY.
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7. @mentorafrika
It's All
About You
Believe in
yourself.
You are a
member of the
group.
You are
assertive & not
afraid.
You are not an
imposter.

8. THE RIGHT INTRO
Do you have mutual connections? A mentor,
sponsor, colleague, or friend?
LISTEN
Gather information to formulate your pitch
by understanding their point of view & goals
& objectives.
BE AGREEABLE & OPEN-
MINDED
Acknowledge the perspective of others even
if you do not agree with them.
BE SUBTLE YET
IMPACTFUL
Sometimes we do not need to blurt out our
opinion, we can lead others along the way
without shouting it out.
@mentorafrika
The Persuasion
Process

9. TAKE TIME
Follow the process &
do not rush.
EXPLAIN YOUR
RATIONALE
Explain your
perspective with
data and objectivity.
Be open to
recognize you might
need to give a little
or redirect your
thoughts & ideas.
BE SUBTLE &
CONSISTENT
Be consistent in
your messaging, and
again, no getting
emotional
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10. Step 1: Listen
No one likes a know-it-all who
talks over the world. It's hard
when we are very passionate &
really want someone to follow us
or take our advice.
@mentorafrika

11. Step 2: Incorporate a Story
Tell emotionally impactful stories
that connect you to your
audience. Think about what
makes them tick and what they
care about. Truly connect on a
personal level when possible.
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12. Step 3: Compare
Reflect on a comparable project
or activity or experience that
could be related to your ask. Is
there a historical example you
could bring in that resonates
with your audience?
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13. Step 4: Talk their Language
Be empathetic and put
yourselves in their shoes.
Consider reading more about
emotional intelligence to craft
how you can understand your
audience's wants, needs,
aspirations, and frustrations.
@mentorafrika

14. Step 5: Reduce their Fear of
the Unknown
What could go wrong? Plan for
that and communicate that you
have considered all the what if
scenarios and how you would
react to the known unknowns.
@mentorafrika

15. Step 6: Be Prepared to Give
Recognize that you are not
always going to get what you
want. What alternatives are there
that are acceptable for you and
understand what might the
other person want or suggest
that may not align to your best
case scenario. Plan for that.
@mentorafrika

16. Step 7: Start Small
Understand that you might need
to craw, walk, run, and then fly.
Do not be afraid to make a small
test.
@mentorafrika

17. Step 8: Be a Friend
Put yourself in the other person's
shoes. Empathize with their
feelings and put people at the
center in front of everything you
do.
@mentorafrika

18. Step 9: Be Data Driven
Bring in reputable data. Do not
get caught up in media
misinformation or disinformation
or faulty data. Check your
sources and be scholarly while
thinking critically about how you
can objectively demonstrate your
problem, solution, and data.
@mentorafrika

19. Step 10: Communicate Time
Constraints
Be prepared to hold feet to the
fire on timing for decisions and
when things need to happen
along the way. Hit those dates
and communicate when/if
things go wrong.
@mentorafrika

20. Step 11: Show Passion &
Excitement with
Authenticity
Do not be afraid to be authentic,
and vulnerable while letting your
passion and excitement shine.
We all show ourselves differently.
Always be yourself...everyone else
is taken!
@mentorafrika

21. Step 12: Look for Some Kind
of Commitment Even a
Small One
Gain alignment to do something,
even if it is small. You may have
to take action before you come
to an agreement. Do those
things and follow through.
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22. Step 13: Be Logical
Would you say yes? I mean,
really? Do not be afraid to go big
and wild and different, but still
be logical and objective.
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23. Step 14: Demonstrate Value
Think about what the other
person might want or need.
Show them value based on their
wants and needs. Plan for the
unplanned. You might get it
wrong.
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24. Step 15: Ask for What you
Want...Maybe More
Don't be afraid to ask for what
you want. You are a boss and you
cannot be afraid to
communicate what you want.
Also, do not be afraid to go big
and highlight options that are
bigger than your actual needs.
@mentorafrika

25. PERSUASION IS NOT JUST
A WORD.
IT'S AN ART.
ADAPTED FROM A QUOTE BY WILLIAM
BURNBACH

26. GET YOUR COPY OF THIS
PRESENTATION NOW.
IBM.BIZ/MS-PERSUASION-2

27. THANK YOU
@mentorafrika