According to Dr. Robert Cialdini’s book, “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” there are 6 universal principles of successful influence.

1. Reciprocity - People want to say “yes” to those who have given to them first, they feel obligated to give back.

2. Liking - Find commonalities as we prefer to say “yes” to people we like. In a negotiation scenario, finding that common goal ensures that we are more likely to get a better deal.

3. Authority - We prefer to say “yes” to those individuals who demonstrate competence and are experienced in a particular area.

4. Social Proof - If our peers are doing something then automatically we think it’s probably a good choice for us.

5. Scarcity - We want those things that are scarce, rare and not easily accessible.

6. Consistency - Commitment to being consistent with what we have already said or done publicly.

Persuasion skills are essential for success in every stage of life and are some of the most important skills that you can develop. Persuasion is NOT the ability to convince your opponents to see things your way, that’s manipulation. I think relationships are formed by our ability to listen to others and work in their best interests, and expertise comes with knowledge and experience.


There are some fundamental steps for improving your persuasion skills! I’m currently teaching my son how to frame his position when making a presentation, so that it highlights its benefits to all the stakeholders. And whatever you say must be backed up with evidence, in my opinion, metaphors and storytelling are best when you want to emotionally connect with your audience. Contact me via e-mail, if you are serious about improving your persuasion skills when negotiating mutual solutions.