5 Elements of Persuasion (Essential to Drive Your Career).

Lawyers persuade for a living. But advocating for themselves? That can be hard. Below are some pointers from a recent post by Travis Bradberry, the author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0, on how to be persuasive:

1. Know your audience, and connect! Asking your friend to talk you up to a client requires a different approach than presenting a case to a judge. Match your audience’s energy and style, and dial back pushiness. If you’re an aggressive type, be confident but calm, not impatient and overly persistent.
2. Communicate clearly and concisely. Does your audience even know what you want? If someone can visualize what you are talking about, you become memorable.
3. Be genuine and honest. Always lead with positive body language and authenticity. Studies have shown people are going to accept what you have to say when they have a sense of what kind of person you are, and gravitate towards trustworthy folks.
4. Be respectful. Know where the other side is coming from, and acknowledge their point of view. Show you have their interests at heart too. (Remember: your behavior reflects on the person bestowing the favor.)
5. Know when to step back. Because “urgency is a direct threat to persuasion,” you don’t have to get to yes immediately.

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Successful careers rarely happen by themselves. Think about how to get to where you want, and consciously work on it!