Getting others to do what you want ... and like it

Authority isn’t enough; it’s going to take persuasion

By Edward Miller

Harry Truman offered the best definition of leadership: “Getting others to do what you want them to do, and like it.” It’s that “…and like it” part that’s so difficult.

Authority alone is insufficient. You can order people to do something, but eventually coercion will erode confidence in your leadership. To be influential — especially with peers, bosses and others over whom you have no direct authority — you need to master the art of persuasion.

Here are some practical tips:

Find the common ground. You’ll be more successful in getting others to do what you want if they want the same thing. A difficult or unpleasant task is more palatable if it’s driven by shared values and objectives. This is why being explicit about your own goals and knowing the goals of others is important. The broader the common ground, the more persuasive you are likely to be.

Maintain credibility. Credibility is like a bank account: You can tap into assets only if you’ve made sufficient deposits. Expertise is a good way to build your account; it’s always helpful to know what you’re talking about. Preparation can shore up the account; if you don’t know everything about everything, you can at least prepare well.

Trust is your most valuable asset; without it, effective leadership is almost impossible. Too many editors overestimate their level of trust with colleagues. In my newsroom coaching, I often find a “trust gap” at the root of many leadership difficulties. Stop kidding yourself. Find out just how well you are trusted. Seek out that one person in the newsroom courageous enough to tell you the truth. You know who she is.

Understand the role of compromise. If there’s a secret to persuasion, it’s found in the chemistry of compromise. Jay Conger, writing on “The Necessary Art of Persuasion” in the Harvard Business Review (May 1998), describes the power of a conciliatory attitude:

When colleagues see that a persuader is eager to hear their views and willing to make changes in response to their needs and concerns, they respond more positively. They trust the persuader more and listen more attentively. They see flexibility and sacrifice and are thus more willing to be that way themselves.

The power is in the process itself. By signaling a willingness to listen and compromise, a leader sets the stage for more collaborative dialogue throughout. Instead of a pitched battle defending rigid positions, the process becomes a series of fluid movements across common ground.

What gets in the way? Fear, mostly. People fear authority, or the loss thereof. Bosses who use their muscle to “convince” others should remember that the root of that word comes from the Latin meaning to conquer. To be conquered is not necessarily to be persuaded, especially if the conquered lose self-esteem and control in the process. Compromise can mitigate fear and reduce resistance to the ideas being proposed.

Two ironies should be noted:

• First, you need to earn the right to persuade someone. The logic of your idea is important but insufficient. To carry the day, you must first have earned the status that comes with a trusting relationship. The new kid on the block is seldom persuasive, even though he might be right. His newness means he hasn’t had time to build trust. Only when you’ve earned that trust will you have a chance to be consistently persuasive.
• Second, the more status you have earned (through authority and trust) the more room you have to compromise, and the more persuasive you will become.

To rate your persuasiveness, ask yourself two questions: Have you earned sufficient trust to be persuasive, and are you willing to use compromise as an effective tool?

Miller is an associate of the Poynter Institute and a newsroom coach. He can be reached at miller@newsroomleadership.com.