Influence through resonance – How to convince with your attitude

90% of the reasons for persuasion (leading, motivating, cooperating, solving conflicts, buying, etc.) lie in the emotional area – So how can we influence this emotional level even more consciously and effectively?

The answer is: consciously designed resonance by activating the mirror neurons.

Mirror neurons

Yawning or laughing is contagious. We cry at the movies or shiver when we read about the cruel experiences of others. Neuroscientists hold mirror neurons responsible for this: nerve cells that become active even when we merely observe or perceive something. Researchers very soon saw mirror neurons as the source of empathy, understanding, sharing, and even understanding in general. The resonance experience that mirror neurons enable us to have usually occurs involuntarily, but anyone who is familiar with this mechanism can use it to quite actively control the conversational climate and the willingness of the interlocutor to cooperate. If, for example, I pole myself to actively focus on the positive intentions of the interlocutor or the potential interest of a customer, the probability that the other person will react constructively increases. For example, if you say: “I assume that you want the best,” you de-escalate conflict situations and activate a willingness to cooperate and openness in your counterpart.

Resonance has a positive and negative effect. If I myself am impatient because the customer has not yet concluded, I tend to trigger negative emotions. If I am open and engaged and really care about capturing the customer’s needs, I activate the willingness to actively engage in the dialog.

I can determine my attitude myself

How can we use resonance even better? By actively influencing our own attitude. We can actively trigger the resonance mechanism and thus influence our employees, customers and interlocutors.

Resonance dimensions in the preparation for persuasive conversations

Joy: If I am really actively looking forward to talking to my employee/s, he/she is more likely to be positive, friendly and open.

Confidence: If I positively imply to my customers that they are interested in learning more, even in the face of probing questions and objections (“too expensive”), they will be more positive about my answers. I will also be perceived more credibly and positively.

Persuasion pull: If I believe that in the sales conversation customers are actively “buying” and I am not “selling” products/services, customers are more willing to talk, more engaged and more solution-oriented.

Goal projection: if I have the positive image of a good negotiation with a successful outcome in mind, my conversation partners are more likely to be focused and also ready for the good solution.

Dialogue: If I am really interested in entering into an active and intensive exchange and dialogue with my interlocutors*, they will be more active and open, their share of speech will be significantly higher than my own.

Commitment: My high level of commitment to the customer’s solution will lead, via the resonance mechanism, to customers being more actively involved and more active in the sales process.

Summary
1. The resonance principle always works, both positively and negatively.
2. The mirror neurons cause my attitude to be transferred to the other person, i.e. employees, customers and colleagues. Through this mechanism, my interlocutor actually influences himself.
3. I can determine my attitude and inner attitude myself – and thus indirectly, of course, the attitude of my interlocutor.
4. In order to achieve more influence, I should focus on my attitude in the preparation of persuasive situations and thus on the active shaping of the resonance.

Author: Dr. Bernhard Cevey, CEO CEVEYGROUP

#attitude #resonance #leadership #CEVEYGROUP

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