When Asking A Favor, Specifics Do Count

By Noah Goldstein, Ph.D.

I have a friend who is a medical doctor. Nicest guy in the world. Will do, and has done, anything for anybody. So I was totally perplexed—and as a social psychologist, very interested—when I learned he was having difficulty finding someone to cover his shift on the weekend of my wedding. I asked him if he had ever volunteered to take his colleagues’ shifts, and he replied that indeed he had. Considering all he had done in the past to help them, and all that we know about the power of the norm of reciprocation, it was puzzling that he could not get a single person to volunteer to help him out during his time of need. By the time he had answered my next question, however, the solution to the mystery was clear. Full Article

Open Principles of Persuasion (POP) Workshop Big Hit

The recent open POP workshop in the Phoenix area met with rave reviews. This was the first open POP that used the new POP 4.0 materials. Of course the six fundamental principles are still...fundamental. But the POP 4.0 is seasoned with new studies, new examples and new exercises.

Here participants learned:

• what three components of gifts that make them more impactful to initiate reciprocity
• how using the ethical approach results in long term change
• the difference between the effectiveness of a gift verses the effectiveness of a reward
• what is the most powerful thing to say right before making the strongest point in a presentation
• how to find and use a person's hidden authority
• what they can do to shorten negotiations
• what is more powerful than the possibility of gaining something
• what sequencing can have an effect on decision making
• how to recognize, find ad use the power of "we"


• how to combine principles for maximum effectiveness
• how to use other people's commitments to effect change
• the mystery of the liking principle that makes people both surprising and obvious
• how to leverage the power of other people's opinions
• how to use a weakness to "pop" a strength
• the difference between limited availability and limited time
• how to influence without authority
• the silent question that every decision-maker is asking before the decision is made

Click here to join us in September to make all these discoveries and more.

The seminar exceeded my expectations! I not only learned the principles but how to apply them to my business to make an immediate impact. I would enthusiastically recommend this seminar to anyone that wants to get to “yes” (ethically, of course!) -- Cindy Praeger, Partner Leadline

To join us for the next open POP, click here.

To see more photos and participant testimonials, click here.

Join Dr. Cialdini at the World Negotiation Forum in Milan

Join Dr. Cialdini at the World Negotiation Forum in Milan. For more information Click here.