When it comes to being a successful leader, proving your point is key, but persuasion is what will take you to the next level. This article on Forbes discusses the difference between proving and persuading, and how leaders can use persuasion to get their team on board and achieve their goals.

Can persuasive leadership be learned? The ability to be a successful leader is not about proving your point, but persuading people to come on board with your vision. She outlines five techniques that can help you become a more effective persuader.

The first step is understanding your audience. You need to know what motivates them and what objections they may have. The second step is setting the frame. You need to put your idea in the context of what the other person cares about. The third step is using empathy. You need to understand how the other person sees the world and what their concerns are. The fourth step is using stories. Stories are a great way to connect with people and help them see how your idea can work for them. The fifth and final step is using questions. Questions help you understand where the other person is coming from and figure out what they need to be persuaded.

These steps are not mutually exclusive; in fact, they are complementary. Proving is necessary but not sufficient for persuading; persuasion is necessary but not sufficient for motivating. The three steps also work together to create a virtuous circle: proving reinforces persuasion which in turn reinforces motivation.

Managers, business owners, and supervisors can benefit from understanding the difference between proving and persuading. Proving can help you make a strong case for your ideas or decisions, while persuading can help you win others over to your point of view. Being a persuasive leader takes practice, but it can be a valuable skill in any business setting.

Find out more in the original article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/estherchoy/2022/08/21/persuasive-leadership-the-difference-between-proving-and-persuading/?sh=36906b51658f

This article summary was created by Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a leadership trainer, success coach and people skills expert. She helps managers and business owners build thriving teams and organisations, using tools from Positive Psychology. She's trained more than 60,000 people during her career as a corporate trainer and professional development consultant. Her mission is inspiring talented people to become leaders who make a difference.