This week I want to share a little trick I use to give my influence skills a jolt. I walk up to my library of books (yes I am a hardcopy book person and I have a small but focused library) and I just pick a book. I then turn to a page and review the notes I made either on my first or subsequent reading of the text.
I really find it helpful if I am facing a new problem, feeling a little flat or just looking for inspiration. Sometimes I will do on my way into the office in the morning or on my way out in the evening “just because”.
That is why I am a hardcopy book person. I write in the books. I share them with others and ask them to write in them, all the time value adding to the author’s original insights.
Recently I was really under the pump. I needed a positive influence hit so I reached for Guy Kawasaki’s influence inspired text Enchantment. It’s a great book and one that always helps me turn back toward the positive… and this day was no different.
I turned to page 24 in the 2011 text and the heading that I circled multiple times was
“Default to Yes”.
Under this heading Kawasaki says you need to adopt a yes attitude.
“This means your default response to people’s request is yes”.
Kawasaki goes on to say it isn’t a risky practice because at the start of a relationship most requests are small, simple and easy.
Another line I had underlined was “A yes buys you time, enables you to see more options, and builds rapport.”
As we know from the Principles of Persuasion Workshop, Sleuths of Influence continually invest in others so this is a great approach to trigger Reciprocity but also Liking because of the cooperation factor.
The next section of the book really got my attention and it is this idea I wanted to share…
“By contrast, a no response stops everything. There’s no place to go, nothing to build on, and no further options are available. You will never know what may have come out of a relationship if you don’t let it begin. At least, think “not yet” instead of no”.
In Australia this week we have a 3 day working week, sandwiched between Easter Monday and ANZAC day. So here’s your influence challenge. This week, for just three days adopt a default attitude toward yes and away from no and see what happens.
People will be under the pump, deadlines are tight, and worker numbers will be down due to those who have maximized the return on 3 days annual leave. Therefore this is a great time to default to yes and build some relationship points with others.
Give it a try. When people send you emails, call you or walk into your office, start with a default to yes attitude.
Kawasaki says,
Take my word for it: More people will like if you believe people are good until proven bad
Let me know how you go!
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