Being Persuasive At Work

Cited from 'Using persuasion at work' from Lynda.com

Before entering a persuasive conversation

1. Focus on building a track record of great performance
2. Serve others as much as you serve yourself
3. Think about the people as much as you think about your arguments. Know the individual or individuals with whom you'll be speaking, and think about how to tailor your arguments just for them.  

When entering a persuasive conversation

1. Create positive emotions by showing positive emotions
2. Use nonverbal indicators to show passion about your topic
3. Build emotion by using examples. Examples (pictures, stories and videos) draw mental pictures that evoke emotions.  
4. Remember that compromise is necessary. 
5. Feed the meter. If you are in a situation and finding yourself effectively using persuasion, good for you, but the job is not done. Later, whether by email, phone, or in person,you will have to make your arguments again. Persuasion is a process used over time, not a onetime event.