Working with colleagues who just "take our word for it" when we state a course of action is a corporate dream. Sadly, it takes time to build this level of trust, but there are some short-term hacks to boost your influence in the course of a few meetings. In order to inspire confidence later, begin by providing a contrast. In short, state when you are not sure of yourself:
Bringing this idea to the table, I haven't looked deeply into it FYI but I will if it interests you.
I'm not formally qualified in this but my gut tells me...
This isn't something I've done myself, so take my suggestion with a pinch of salt.
I've seen other teams do this well.
Later, when you want your colleagues to take your word for it that X course of action is ideal, these strong statements will be more impactful:
I spent hours looking into this.
Tons of research when into that proposal.
I'm convinced this is perfect for our audience.
No doubt, this will work, I've done it before.
Why does creating contrast boost trust?
Not being assertive 100% of the time makes it more impactful when you are really sure of yourself.
Does this work every time?
No technique for influence is foolproof, but these phrases will support other persuasive techniques. Want more tips on influencing with your writing?
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