Background reading material
The Power of Persuasion
Those who are able to persuade have an innate power that can assist them throughout their career. According to Cogner (1998):
The concept of persuasion, like that of power, often confuses and even mystifies business people. It is so complex—and so dangerous when mishandled—that many would rather just avoid it altogether. But like power, persuasion can be a force for enormous good in an organization. It can pull people together, move ideas forward, galvanize change, and forge constructive solutions. To do all that, however, people must understand persuasion for what it is—not convincing and selling but learning and negotiating. Furthermore, it must be seen as an art form that requires commitment and practice, especially as today’s business contingencies make persuasion more necessary than ever (p. 95).
At times, HR managers and professionals will need to use their persuasion skills when dealing with employees and organizational issues. As a practical example, when dealing with an organizational change, there will be many employees who
will resist and oppose the change. As such, HR managers and professionals could use their persuasion skills to help employees understand the benefits of the organizational change. Therefore, there are four main steps to persuade,discuss.