Few can doubt that one of the greats in the field of influence is Dr Robert Cialdini. His principles of persuasion are known, taught, and applied across just about every marketing and influencing campaign on the planet.
The original six emerged from his research in 1984:
Social Proof: If everyone else is doing something, should I not be too?
Reciprocity: I have done something for you, how about you do something for me?
Authority: The title commands attention before the argument is even made.
Liking: People say yes to those they warm to.
Consistency: Commitment to a position makes departure from it uncomfortable.
Scarcity: The fear of missing out is a reliable accelerant.
A seventh was added more recently:
Unity: We are the same kind of people, of course I will.
What Cialdini’s research captured, as he acknowledged, was the behaviour of what he called the ‘compliance masters’: those who made their living getting people to do things they would not otherwise have done, often without realising what was happening. The ethical dimension is present in his work, but it does not protest too loudly.
The result is a world of influence substantially skewed in favour of the influencer, who much of the time does not have the other person’s best interests at heart.
Which brings us to the eighth principle. It is one I am adding:
Awareness: Now I know your game, I will not fall for it so easily.
The person who has developed awareness of the ways and means of influence and persuasion can see what the influencer is attempting and will factor that into their decision-making. They will seek verification when they detect a biased perspective. They will treat testimonials with appropriate scepticism. They will apply critical judgement rather than defer to titles and credentials.
What they will also notice is those who are playing it straight. The influencer operating ethically, helping people make genuinely informed decisions, stands out precisely because so few are doing it. Awareness does not disadvantage the ethical influencer. It advantages them.
The only people who lose from the application of the eighth principle are those who seek to deceive.
This is explored further in The Ethics of Influence: Five Rules to Live By.
Colin Gautrey, August 2020