Chapter 9:

Persuasion and Influence

ToniAnne Giunta Caldwell College

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills & strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York: Routledge.

Overview

Have you ever Influence Persuasion Summary

Have you ever

Encountered a parent of a learner who was already convinced that she knew the reason for her childs behavior and that the recommended behavior plan/intervention/appro ach was unnecessary?

Have you ever

Met an individual who did not trust data?

Have you ever

Had to collaborate with another person who believed that ABA is a labor-intensive approach?

Have you ever

Worked with a caregiver who believed ABA was great, but definitely not the only way to go?

Have you ever

(after going through the program at Caldwell and being in your profession) Wondered how you ever lived without proactive applied behavior analysis?

Although behavior analysis clearly offers a more rational, humane, effective approach to behavior change, our approach is not intuitive to most people.
(Bailey & Burch, 2010, p. 98)

Influence
Changing the attitudes and behaviors of other people without using any force or show of power Active listening skills Shaping Reflection
Only when the individual is able to discuss the issue rationally will the behavior analyst make headway in the search for causal variables

INFLUENCE: Framing
Presenting the discussion in a format or context with which you feel comfortable Changing opinions by giving examples of similar cases No force approach

INFLUENCE: Information
Relevant, factual information Graphs Published literature Do not, however, rely on this alone!
You have taken a personal interest in the caregiver You can help You are an honest person

You have taken a personal interest in the child

You are a caring and responsible professional

INFLUENCE: Technical Expertise

Convincing the decision maker that you truly understand the problem You are uniquely prepared by your training and experience to solve the problem Used when the behavior is uncommon and requires sophisticated intervention, e.g., Pediatric feeding disorder

Persuasion

A process for logically presenting your point of view to a group that is responsible for making an important decision Changing an opinion by presenting your view, sometimes by using argument or debate

PERSUASION: Having Credibility

Gaining experience in various leadership positions

Trust

Experience

Credibility

PERSUASION: Understanding Your Audience

BEFORE How do the professionals make decisions? The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior DURING Watch closely for reactions Be prepared to pause for questions/clarifications Hostile Supportive

PERSUASION: Making a Solid Case

1. Begin with a compelling story 2. Paint a picture of what you want to happen 3. Present factual evidence 4. Anticipate/answer objections that might come up 5. End with a clear statement of what you want the

committee to do

PERSUASION: Effectively Communicating

Appealing to emotional sides Word choice add color and excitement! You have to be able to tell a good story!

Summary
Influence, persuasion, and presentation skills are vital in behavior analysis These skills are learned best with practice Pay careful attention to outcomes We rely on others to adopt and implement our procedures this is typically dependent on our influence and persuasion skills

For Further Reading

Beckwith, H. (1997). Selling the invisible: A field guide to modern marketing. New York: Warner Books. Goldstein, J. J., Martin, S. J., & Cialdini, R. B. (2008). Yes! 50 scientifically proven ways to be persuasive. New York: Free Press. Harvard Business School Press. (2005). Power, influence, and persuasion. Boston: Author. Heinrichs, J. (2007). Thank you for arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson can teach us about the art of persuasion. New York: Random House.

Questions? Comments? Further stories?

THANK YOU!
and

Reference

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills & strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York: Routledge.