How many times have you made a plea to someone for something and not gotten what you wanted? The answer may be easier than you think: up your influence.

Upping your influence means bucking your own traditional wisdom and trying a different set of "levers" to make your case. For example:

If you've been relying on clean, logical arguments to sell your idea, try making an emotional appeal instead.
If your emotional approach to seeking support from others is falling on deaf ears, try creating a logical business case to convince your audience.
If you are a calm, collected, quiet person try making a loud, brash, demanding case!
If you are a noisy desk-pounder, try a quiet, level-toned statement of your case

This can work for a number of reasons, depending on the situation:

If you are perceived as a certain type of person (logical, emotional, loud, quiet, etc.) taking the opposite stance or demeanor can cause others to reconsider you in a different light. This is particularly effective if others see you as quiet, calm, overly logical, etc. - in which case a loud, emotional posture will help convey passion.
If your audience is of a certain mindset (logical, emotional, etc.) taking an opposite stance can catch them off guard and put them into a mode in which they are not well equipped to shoot down your ideas.

Give it a try - if your requests are falling on deaf ears, you just might be able to cut through the noise and complacency by upping your influence.

Related posts: