At the World Travel, Inc. Client Advisory Board meeting in January, our Board Members discussed strategies for how to get C-Suite buy-in and Executive-level sponsorship. Guest speaker Frank Hoffman from Hoffman & Associates, LLC gave a presentation reviewing the popular article by Robert B. Cialdini published in 2001, “Harnessing the Science of Persuasion.”
While most believe that persuasion is more art than science, Cialdini posits that there is an exact science to persuasion. He bases this on a series of basic ideas he calls Universal Principles
People want to be liked, and they want to like people. Try establishing personal relationships based on similarities. And remember that praise is one of the must unrecognized management tools.
Remember the Golden Rule? Be proactive and give what you want to receive. It works for a smile; it’ll work for bigger things too.
Humans are social creatures, and science has already proven that we’ll follow the pack. If someone takes the lead, the rest of us often follow.
People align themselves with their public commitments, so know what interests them and what they’re invested in. Then, they can be better persuaded if you correlate your argument with their commitment. For example, if an executive has shared a primary goal with their departments, show them how your initiative supports that goal.
People defer to experts, in general. So make a case grounded in facts asserted and proven by a recognized expert. Just keep in mind what your Executive considers an “expert.”
It applies outside of economics. People want what is in demand (Adele tickets, Hatchimals, consistent ROI), and they don’t want to give up something they already have.
Cialdini also discusses and identifies four basic behavioral quadrants, built on the intersection of an x-axis of assertiveness and a y-axis of responsiveness. On the far left, you have the people who ask, on the far right, the people that tell. Above, you have the people-focused people, while below you have the task-focused people. This creates the Analytic, the Driver, the Amiable, and the Expressive behavioral types.
You won’t get anywhere with an Executive if you don’t do your research, first. Consider the person’s pace, priorities, irritations, and what kind of pitch they’ll be most responsive to. Then present based on what you know about them – not what you think is best.
There is no recipe for achieving buy-in, but considering your target audience will certainly help.