In his insightful book, Influence: Science and Practice, Dr. Robert Cialdini presents a variety of ways in which people influence each other. For example, we know from a famous psychology experiment years ago involving fake electrical shocks that adults will often go to extreme lengths on the command of authority. And we know that getting someone to publicly commit to their actions or behaviors greatly reinforces and strengthens the potential for that behavior to occur.

But it's Dr. Cialdini's chapter on reciprocation that might be the most interesting and useful.

Cialdini's proposition is simple -- humans will go to great lengths to repay, in kind, what another person has provided. As he puts it: the decision to comply with another's request is frequently influenced by the reciprocity rule.

Think how many times you have done something only because you were returning "the favor." Did we have to do it? No. But there is such a strong social pull from balancing the imbalance that exists when somebody does something for you that you simply have to act. We are conditioned in childhood to abide by this rule or face social disapproval.

How can this help you in influencing others?

Do something for them first without expecting anything in return. Perhaps it's something small -- like helping them stack some unwieldy packages. Or perhaps you pass along a good job opportunity.

The favor that you provide does not have to equal your request down the road (unless it's outrageously impossible to satisfy). Just the imbalance of you having provided something creates an almost autonomic response from us to equal that balance.

Like anything else, this approach can and is abused, especially by unscrupolous sales people. So beware if it's being used on you. But if you are in a position where you are trying to genuinely influence someone else's behavior, try doing something good for them first and see if it doesn't make a big difference somewhere down the road. Reciprocity is a powerful tool of influence.

Gene Pinder is the Assistant Director of the Executive Master's Program in Department of Health Policy and Administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Public Health. In addition to teaching an innovation and applied creativity workshop, he also teaches marketing strategies and tactics to public health and health care administration students.

http://www.globalchange.com Speed of change. Change management. Leadership styles and decisions. Web marketing. Online sales. Impatient consumers and consumer choices. Rapid innovation. Business profit. Agility in teams. Contingencies. Managing uncertainty and risk management. Conference keynote speaker and Futurist Dr Patrick Dixon.
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