The Art of Woo:

Persuasive Leadership

Mario Moussa, Ph.D., MBA

Co-Director, Wharton Strategic Persuasion Workshop

Senior Consultant, Fels Institute of Government, University of Pennsylvania

mmoussa@wharton.upenn.edu/267-549-6694

Guidelines for Success

Be more strategic than tactical in orientation, with

exceptionally strong business and interpersonal skills.

Understand the strategic direction and goals of the business

and how to intertwine security needs with the goals and

objectives of the organization.

Possess a broad view of changes in the organization and

environment that might affect security.

Demonstrate superior skills in communications, networking,

interpersonal skills, planning, and managing capital

expenditures.

2 Source: Guidelines for the CSO, developed in 2004 by an international commission assembled by

ASIS International

Goals for today

Discuss the principles of strategic

persuasion.

Reflect on styles.

Apply insights to current challenges

and opportunities.

Build a “checklist.”

3

4 Source: Jeff Immelt quoted in Joe Nocera, “Running G.E., Comfortable In His Skin,” NYT, C1, 6/9/07.

Formal authority has limits.

“When you run General

Electric, there are 7 to 12

times a year when you have

to say, ‘you’re doing it my

way.’ If you do it 18 times,

the good people will leave. If

you do it three times, the

company falls apart.”

Will power is a limited

resource.

The Principles

6

Influence IQ Test

Woo is a relationship-based selling

process essential to leadership.

Now more than ever, good working

relationships are important to your

leadership success.

Even top-performers constantly

focus on improving their game.

Leadership is about the specifics.

“The tongue is the only tool that gets sharper with use.”

7

Self-Awareness

Situational Awareness

Two success factors

Goals

Goals and empathy

Algorithmic vs. heuristic

Communications Executive:

“There’s no way to put this on a

piece of paper, or create a bible.

There has to be a circle of trust.”

Purpose-maximizing (e.g., customer-

focused) vs. profit-maximizing

8

9

“Some of my most challenging negotiations

involve the people I know best.”

10

Credibility

Relationships

Beliefs

Interests

Styles

“Some of my most challenging negotiations

involve the people I know best.”

11

Build “social capital.”

Higher social capital (measured as more connections outside their division) = Average of 15% more earning power than those with lower social capital.

Seen as having better ideas.

Sources: Ronchi, D., Cross, R., & Burt, R.

Beliefs matter.

Sources: “Microsoft’s Lost Decade,” Vanity Fair, August 2012; “Words on Trial,”

New Yorker, July 23, 2012

13

Tune in.

People are motivated

by multiple interests.

Focus on the the most

powerful one.

“Trade” in the right

“currency.”

Pay attention to the

pressures the other

person is responding

to.

14

Your political skills matter.

Political skills: strongest predictor of success, outstripping by far both intelligence and personality traits.

Politics = the ability to sell ideas

15

Silos are psychological.

Functions: “Recurring conflict is

inevitable”:

Time horizons: short or long.

Rewards: financial or professional.

Relationships: formal or informal.

Rules: strict or loose.

Business/Industry cultures.

Are you BP?

“The most successful companies

extended their efforts beyond changing

existing structures and systems.”

Sources: Organization and its Environment, Lawrence and Lorch; Managing Across Borders, Barlett and Ghosal

16

NEGOTIATION NEGOTIATION NEGOTIATION

PERSUASION

INFLUENCE

Here are you choices.

Bono

18

Wooing is a four-step process.

1. Survey your situation: What is my idea, and

how is it better than the alternatives? Who are

the decision makers and influencers? What is

my “stepping stone” strategy?

2. Remove the barriers: Credibility,

Relationships, Beliefs, Interests, Styles.

3. Make your pitch: Make it simple (PCAN),

support it with the right kind of evidence, and

make it memorable.

4. Secure your commitments: Target key

individuals. Manage the politics. Create a

“snowball effect.”

19

Influence the

influencers.

20

Target people who live in different

“cultures.”

Source: Rob Cross

21

Practice strategic relationship-building.

Prepare

Build trust

Apologize if you break it

Ask for favors – reciprocity

Ben Franklin

Match styles – similarity

Trump and his lawyer

Make an effort to be friendly

“Slight attentions often bring back

reward as great as it is unlooked for.”

Meet face to face when the stakes

are high

Parsons and Icahn

22

Set your goals carefully.

Types of goals:

Idea-polishing—Asking for input: no agreement

required!

Access—Requesting an introduction to an

influencer.

Attitude—Looking for the “Hmm, good idea!”

response.

Authorization—Getting approval and even

resources to take the next step.

Endorsement—Seeking active support in public or

behind the scenes.

Decision—Securing formal sign-off.

Implementation—Embedding your idea in policies

and procedures.

23

Beliefs overpower facts.

Persistence

Shift audiences

Fly under the radar screen

One small step

Position your idea around

a deeper core value

"It's easy to see how a photograph like that could fool the untrained eye.”

-- Founder of the Flat Earth Society

Styles

25

Tune into the right channel.

Adapted from influence research conducted by David Kipnis and Gary Yukl, and other sources.

A. Authority (emphasis on using formal position or rules)

B. Rationality (emphasis on using reasons)

C. Vision (emphasis on organizational goals, purposes, and aspirations)

D. Relationship (emphasis on liking, similarity, and reciprocity)

E. Interests/Incentives (emphasis on using trades and compromises)

F. Politics (emphasis on managing perceptions and building consensus)

26

Self Organization

What is your Persuasion Style?

27

I am known

for saying

exactly what

is on my mind

I excel at

understanding

other people’s

feelings

I am outspoken

and expressive

When I speak,

I do so

forcefully but

quietly

100%

100%

100%

100%

0%

0%

28

More Self-Oriented

Higher

More Other-Oriented

Lower

DRIVER

CHESS PLAYER COMMANDER

PROMOTER

Self vs. Other

Persuasion Styles

Volume

29

Adjust.

30

Reflect.

What is one small style-related adjustment (listen more, be more direct,

etc.) you can make to enhance your effectiveness?

What are the situations in which it is most important to make this

adjustment?

Notes:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

31

Cognitive perspective-taking

“If there is any secret to success, it

lies in the ability to get the other

person’s point of view and see

things from that person’s angle as

well as your own.” —Henry Ford

Historical studies: Lenin vs.

Trotsky, Castro vs. Che Guevara,

Ulysses S. Grant vs. Robert E.

Lee.

“People make their decisions based on what the facts mean to them,

not on the facts themselves.”

32

33

Urgency!

Source: Kotter

34

Leaders need situation awareness.

“I felt speed was essential.”

-- Joseph Galli

35

Jody Thompson and Cali Ressler

Change can happen.

36 Source: Kotter, Leading Change.

Assess the organization culture

(core beliefs) and the

receptiveness to your idea or

initiative

Build political support

Take Action

Assessing your situation: 3 Steps

Best Buy: “checklist” success

factors.

Identify the cultural “borders.”

Ressler and Thompson saw that senior management existed in its own mental

silo that valued face time.

Test and refine your ideas.

Ressler and Thompson used pilots to gauge appeal and effectiveness and to

build support.

Build political support among influencers to enhance credibility.

Ressler and Thompson partnered with business unit managers.

Communicate in simple terms to gain attention.

ROWE was based on “13 Commandments.”

Make your idea behaviorally “contagious.”

Employees started a “viral” campaign.

Frame your ideas for maximum cultural impact.

Ressler and Thompson pitched ROWE as a “productivity” program.

Take your time with projects that require cultural change.

It took 18 months to sell the program.

37

Communication

39

“Forgetting the business logic and the

price, there will be options down the

road there, I would answer your question

about capable and that we weren't really

quite capable yet because our army was

doing all the other stuff we had to do,

particularly the systems conversions.

The army will be capable to do other

stuff sometime next year, which is

reasonable. Doesn't mean we will.”

Are you tapping?

40

Focus on reasons rather than

facts.

Data-based statistics

Should Yahoo run ads next to news stories?

Specific examples

Abraham Lincoln: “Never ask an argument to do what an illustration can do more easily.”

Direct experience: demonstrations and tangible objects.

Should Intel invest in a new semiconductor chip?

Personal testimony

Should you take the medicine recommended by your doctor?

Social consensus

“Everybody knows . . .”

41 Source: Ch. 7, The Art of Woo

Think PCAN +.

• Problem – A short, concise statement

that defines the problem your idea

solves (or the need it addresses).

• Cause – An explanation of the cause

of this problem or need.

• Answer – Your solution (or answer)

for the situation.

• Net benefits – A summary of why

your answer is the best available, all

options considered.

Secure Commitments

43

Start with small steps.

“Knowledge doesn’t change behavior. Practice changes behavior.”

-- Monique Sternin

Source: “When Deviants Do Good,” NYT 2/27/13

44

Generate positive momentum.

Radishes or Cookies?

Sources: Nudge; Switch; Wansik