So Much Persuasion: Ways To Learn | Negotiation

By KenrickCleveland
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A student recently asked me, "Kenrick, how the heck do you keep track of all of the persuasion strategies you know? Each time we have a coaching call, it seems like you pull out some new strategy. I can't even remember the basics like using the unconscious hello. How can I remember to remember?'

My question to the student was, "When you learn a new language, are you able to have an involved conversation with a native speaker within a week?"

When you learn a new instrument, can you play Rachmaninoff after a couple of lessons?

Persuasion is just as rich a subject as either of these and more because once you've learned a language, you know the language. But persuasion is an ever expanding field of study with amazing breakthroughs happening all the time.

And when I think of what it is that makes a good student, a good learner, my most worthwhile advice is this: Practice. In order to do something well, in order to do something thoroughly, you have to master the basics and practice the hell out of it.

'Learning' has been traditionally broken down into five different categories: imprinting, habituation, associative learning, observational learning and play.

Imprinting is a phase-based learning usually associated with young animals and humans and is the process by which babies learn from their parents. This, obviously, has no use for us in learning persuasion, but for the fact that the brain state which is achieved by use of the light and sound machines closely resembles the brain state of the very young.

An example of habitual learning is when an animal first responds to a stimulus, but if it is neither rewarding nor harmful then eventually, the response diminishes. This kind of learning rests mainly in the other-than-conscious.

The two types of learning that we most utilize in our quest for persuasion mastery are observational learning and play. The first, we're all quite familiar with: observing and repeating. 'Unconscious hello'? Observe. Repeat. We need to pay attention and then emulate.

Lastly, play. I call the homework at the end of each call 'home play' because I love the concept of play and playfulness as a way to enjoy our learning and enhance our experience of not only persuasion, but of life in general.

To my frustrated student, I responded, "Persuasion is playful, persuasion is observation, persuasion is habitual, persuasion is repetition, persuasion is emulating, it's commitment, it's intention, and it comes in time with persistence and practice."

About the Author

Kenrick Cleveland teaches techniques to earn the business of wealthy clients using persuasion. He runs public and private seminars and offers home study courses and coaching programs in persuasion techniques.

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