The Art of Woo: Using
Strategic Persuasion to
Sell Your Ideas
Mario Moussa, Ph.D., MBA
Co-Director, Wharton Strategic Persuasion Workshop
Senior Consultant, Fels Institute of Government, University of Pennsylvania
[email protected]/267-549-6694
Principles matter.
Influence
Persuasion
Negotiation
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Formal authority has limits.
§  “When you run General
Electric, there are 7 to 12
times a year when you have
to say, ‘you’re doing it my
way.’ If you do it 18 times,
the good people will leave. If
you do it three times, the
company falls apart.”
§  Will power is a limited
resource.
Source: Jeff Immelt quoted in Joe Nocera, “Running G.E., Comfortable In His Skin,” NYT, C1, 6/9/07.
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The Principles
Influence IQ Test
“The tongue is the only tool that gets sharper with use.”
5
Two success factors
§ Self-Awareness
§ Situational Awareness
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Goals
§ Goals and empathy
§ Algorithmic vs. heuristic
§ Communications Executive: “There’s no way to
put this on a piece of paper, or create a bible.
There has to be a circle of trust.”
§ Collaboration takes place in complex situations,
requiring high-EQ, “pro-social” behaviors.
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“Some of my most challenging negotiations
involve the people I know best.”
§ Credibility
§ Relationships
§ Beliefs
§ Interests
§ Styles
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Build “social capital.”
§  Higher social capital
(measured as more
connections outside their
division) = Average of 15%
more earning power than
those with lower social
capital.
§  Seen as having better ideas.
§  Human Capital = What You
Know.
§  Social Capital = Who You
Know
Sources: Ronchi, D., Cross, R., & Burt, R.
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Beliefs matter.
Sources: “Microsoft’s Lost Decade,” Vanity Fair, August 2012; “Words on Trial,”
New Yorker, July 23, 2012
Tune in.
People are motivated
by multiple interests.
Focus on the the most
powerful one.
“Trade” in the right
“currency.”
Pay attention to the
pressures the other
person is responding
to.
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Your political skills matter.
Political skills:
strongest predictor of
success, outstripping
by far both
intelligence and
personality traits.
Politics = the ability to sell ideas
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Silos are psychological.
§  Functions: “Recurring conflict is
inevitable”:
§  Time horizons: short or long.
§  Rewards: financial or professional.
§  Relationships: formal or informal.
§  Rules: strict or loose.
§  Business/Industry cultures.
§  Are you BP?
§  “The most successful companies
extended their efforts beyond changing
existing structures and systems.”
Sources: Organization and its Environment, Lawrence and Lorch; Managing Across Borders, Barlett and Ghosal
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You have choices in pursuing your
goals.
INFLUENCE
PERSUASION
NEGOTIATION
NEGOTIATION
NEGOTIATION
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Changing minds is a four-step
process.
1.  Survey your situation: What do I want to do
or communicate, and how do I present it? Who
are the decision makers and influencers? What
is my “stepping stone” strategy?
2.  Remove the barriers: Credibility,
Relationships, Beliefs, Interests, Styles.
3.  Make your pitch: Make it simple, support it
with the right kind of reasons, and make it
memorable.
4.  Secure your commitments: Target key
individuals. Manage the politics of your
situation. Create a “snowball effect.” Make
trades when you need to . . .
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Influence the
influencers.
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Practice strategic relationship-building.
§ 
Prepare
§ 
Build trust
§ 
§ 
Ask for favors – reciprocity
§ 
§ 
Trump and his lawyer
Make an effort to be friendly
§ 
§ 
Ben Franklin
Match styles – similarity
§ 
§ 
Apologize if you break it
“Slight attentions often bring back
reward as great as it is unlooked for.”
Meet face to face when the stakes are
high
§ 
Parsons and Icahn
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Set your goals carefully.
Types of goals:
§  Idea-polishing—Asking for input: no agreement
required!
§  Access—Requesting an introduction to an
influencer.
§  Attitude—Looking for the “Hmm, good idea!”
response.
§  Authorization—Getting approval and even
resources to take the next step.
§  Endorsement—Seeking active support in public or
behind the scenes.
§  Decision—Securing formal sign-off.
§  Implementation—Embedding your idea in policies
and procedures.
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Beliefs overpower facts.
§ Persistence
§ Shift audiences
§ Fly under the radar screen
§ One small step
§ Position your idea around
a deeper core value
"It's easy to see how a photograph like that could fool the untrained eye.”
-- Founder of the Flat Earth Society
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Styles: How do you make
your point?
Tune into the right channel.
A. Authority (emphasis on using formal position or rules)
B. Rationality (emphasis on using reasons)
C. Vision (emphasis on organizational goals, purposes, and aspirations)
D. Relationship (emphasis on liking, similarity, and reciprocity)
E. Interests/Incentives (emphasis on using trades and compromises)
F. Politics (emphasis on managing perceptions and building consensus)
Adapted from influence research conducted by David Kipnis and Gary Yukl, and other sources.
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Self
Organization
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Persuasion Styles
Self vs. Other
More Self-Oriented
Higher
DRIVER
Lower
COMMANDER
More Other-Oriented
PROMOTER
Volume
CHESS PLAYER
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What is your Persuasion Style?
I am known
for saying
exactly what
is on my mind
100%
0%
I excel at
understanding
other people’s
feelings
100%
When I speak,
I do so
forcefully but
quietly
I am outspoken
and expressive
100%
0%
100%
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Persuasion Styles
Self vs. Other
More Self-Oriented
Higher
DRIVER
Lower
COMMANDER
More Other-Oriented
PROMOTER
Volume
CHESS PLAYER
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Leadership Reflection
§  What is one small adjustment you can make in your communication
(e.g., focus more on vision or relationships) or persuasion style (focus
more on others, increase energy, etc.) to enhance your effectiveness
as a leader?
§  What are the situations in which it is most important to make this
adjustment?
§  Notes:
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
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Adjust.
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Cognitive perspective-taking
§ 
“If there is any secret to success, it
lies in the ability to get the other
person’s point of view and see
things from that person’s angle as
well as your own.” —Henry Ford
§ 
Historical studies: Lenin vs.
Trotsky, Castro vs. Che Guevara,
Ulysses S. Grant vs. Robert E.
Lee.
“People make their decisions based on what the facts mean to them,
not on the facts themselves.”
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Urgency!
§  Bring the outside in.
§  Behave with urgency everyday.
§  Find opportunity in crises.
§  Deal with NoNos.
Source: Kotter
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Leaders need situation awareness.
“I felt speed was essential.”
-- Joseph Galli
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Communication
Are you tapping?
“Forgetting the business logic and the
price, there will be options down the
road there, I would answer your question
about capable and that we weren't really
quite capable yet because our army was
doing all the other stuff we had to do,
particularly the systems conversions.
The army will be capable to do other
stuff sometime next year, which is
reasonable. Doesn't mean we will.”
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Focus on reasons rather than
facts.
§ 
Data-based statistics
§  Should Yahoo run ads next to news stories?
§ 
Specific examples
§  Abraham Lincoln: “Never ask an argument to
do what an illustration can do more easily.”
§ 
Direct experience: demonstrations and tangible
objects.
§  Should Intel invest in a new semiconductor
chip?
§ 
Personal testimony
§  Should you take the medicine recommended
by your doctor?
§ 
Social consensus
§  “Everybody knows . . .”
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Think PCAN +.
•  Problem – A short, concise statement
that defines the problem your idea
solves (or the need it addresses).
•  Cause – An explanation of the cause
of this problem or need.
•  Answer – Your solution (or answer)
for the situation.
•  Net benefits – A summary of why
your answer is the best available, all
options considered.
Source: Ch. 7, The Art of Woo
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Secure Commitments
Start with small steps.
“Knowledge doesn’t change behavior. Practice changes behavior.”
-- Monique Sternin
Source: “When Deviants Do Good,” NYT 2/27/13
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Be a “choice architect.”
§  The “flu shot lecture”
§  “Look right!”
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Source: Nudge
Generate positive momentum.
Radishes or Cookies?
Sources: Nudge; Switch; Wansik
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