Persuasion Power At Work – Interested Before Interesting
“It is what you do before you do what you do that takes counts the most” I learn this from Dr. Robert Cialdini during my certification as a Cialdini Method Certified Trainer (CMCT). We expect others to be interested in us first rather than the other way round. This is the common flaw in getting others first to be interested in us and we failed. It is what goes before the request is made to get other to be interested in us. In other words, we must be interested in others first and foremost. The ego gets in the way of persuading others and we failed as a result of it.
The article below is written by Jeremie Kubicek, founder of GiANT and I would like to share it with you:
If you want a tip to get better at connecting with others, here is one from my good friends at Booster Enterprises – “Be Interested Before Being Interesting.”
Here is an example…
When you first meet someone, genuinely focus on them first before you start thinking in your mind what you want to tell them. Questions help, but make sure your intent is pure. Spend time really getting to know them. Be interested. If you do this well the following will occur:
You will enjoy the conversation more because you invested in someone else.
They will like you more and, thus, become more engaged than they normally would.
You will be perceived as an interesting person.
They will normally begin to ask you questions and, thus, become interested in you.
They will perceive you as a great resource and worthy person, which will impact you in the future.
This is so simple, yet, subtly powerful. I have been doing this for years, but never have thought much about it until I watched my Booster friends do this extraordinarily well.
Booster is a group of 82 all-stars that serve schools across the country with character development through the Boosterthon Fun Run. They go into schools once a year and help the schools with fund raising, while at the same time teaching kids fitness, education and character.
They practice what they teach. These guys are the real deal. I have watched them be more interested than interesting and I would tell you that I hope my kids get the chance to work for them some day. By the way, if you are tired of the old ways of raising funds in your schools, go to www.boosterenterprises.com and connect with them.
Now, it is your turn. At your next conversation with a new contact be interested before interesting. Keep practicing and make this a standard in the way you connect with people.
