The Power of Persuasion: Logic, Emotion, and Character

Women particularly are often tagged “emotional” when communicating persuasively about situations or decisions, and usually the connotation for that label is negative. “She should be able to look at the facts without getting so emotionally involved in the situation.” Or: “Let’s look at this idea a little more objectively.” Or: “You’ve got to have more data to back up that position; otherwise, when you go into that meeting, they’ll kill that project before you get it off the ground.”
So what’s wrong with being emotional in your persuasive pitch or reacting emotionally to what you hear? Nothing. Emotions are one-third of the success equation.
A sales rep couldn’t understand why his buyer wouldn’t make a simple inked alteration in a particular purchasing contract. The sales rep had written the wrong model number for the furniture on the contract. And when the buyer had phoned to tell him about the error, the sales rep responded, “No problem. Why don’t you just line through it, ink in the correct number, submit it to your boss for approval, and we’ll avoid any delays in getting in the order to the manufacturer.” The purchasing agent refused, asking the rep to send a completely new version of the contract with the correct model number. Why, despite the delay, did he balk at making the inked change? The purchasing agent’s boss had just given him a big lecture about submitting “messy” paperwork. The purchasing agent valued what his boss thought of the neat paperwork over any possible delays with the furniture order. He balked for an emotional reason, not a logical one.
If we can believe Aristotle about being persuasive communicators, the power of persuasion rests on three “punches”: logic, emotion, and character. Each plays a part in winning people over to our way of thinking.
Do you have a cause to which you’d like your peers to donate time or money? You’ll have to make those peers feel compassion for the group in need (appeal to emotion), show them exactly where and how their money and time will help (appeal to logic), and then demonstrate your own integrity and concern in the process of fund-raising (appealing character).
Do you want to gain funding for health-club memberships for employees in your division? You’ll have to convince the executive who holds the purse strings that wellness reduces absenteeism and increases productivity by supplying statistics (appeal to logic). You’ll have to create a fear of heart attacks among key executives to make them feel the potential loss (appeal to emotions). Finally, you’ll have to demonstrate that your interest is not only concern for your own health but concern for the well-being of the organization as a whole (appealing charac¬ter).
Should anyone think Aristotle’s observations have little bearing on the present day, he or she need look only to the last few presidential elections for evidence. If you’ll recall, each candidate’s pitch aimed to gain support for a specific political position or legislation by employing one of these tactics:
Appeal to reason: “Here are the facts, voters.” Appeal to emotions: “Let me tell you about my friend in Tallahassee who is out of work and has no health-care insurance.” Appeal based on character: “Do you respect and trust this person? Look at the misinformation released so far.” “Does this person have the experience and fortitude to carry out these promises?”
Those who are successful at persuading others to accept their ideas in a business meeting, to vote a certain conviction, to buy a specific service, or to invest their life savings, to place their faith in God—they all stir in these three ingredients: logic, emotion, character. Your success in getting others to accept your ideas will depend on all three parts of the equation.

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© Dianna Booher, Booher Consultants, Inc.
Author of 42 books (Simon & Schuster/Pocket, Warner, and McGraw-Hill), Dianna Booher, CSP, CPAE, delivers keynotes, breakout sessions, and training on communication and life-balance issues. Her latest books: Speak with Confidence®, Your Signature Life®, Your Signature Work®, E-Writing, and Communicate with Confidence®. For more information on Dianna and her programs, visit www.diannabooher.com or contact her firm, Booher Consultants, Inc., at 800-342-6621.

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