Elements Of Persuasion

1. Are you easily persuaded/a good persuader? What are the key elements to being a good persuader?

2. Who is the most persuasive person that you know? What do they do?

3. Persuasion is often thought of as deception and manipulation, but when is persuasion necessary for good and ethical outcomes?

4. Is rhetoric good or bad? Why?

5.  Discuss the rhetorical styles of your friends. How do you persuade each other? What are the rules, patterns, and expectations? 

Read infographic here: Elements Of Persuasion Reading

6. Did anything surprise you? Were you already aware of these techniques?

7. How would you paraphrase reciprocity, scarcity, authority, consistency, liking, and consensus as illustrated in the infographic? Have you seen these techniques used in real life? Give an example of each.

8. Is the list of 6 factors complete? Is there anything missing?

9. How could an online teacher use these factors to increase his/her number of students?

10. How could you/your company use these factors to improve your/their business?

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Situation

You run a small gym and you want to boost customer numbers by using some/all of the six techniques. Call a staff meeting to propose/discuss the measures you want to use.

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Discuss quotes

"Character may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion."

- Aristotle

"Persuasion has become a kind of force. The more the advertiser knows about what consumers want, and the more desires the product and packaging seek to fulfil, the more coercive the force."

- Virginia Postrel

"Don't raise your voice, improve your argument."

- Desmond Tutu

"He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense."

- Joseph Conrad

"The tongue can paint what the eye can’t see." 

– Chinese Proverb

"Those that will not hear must be made to feel."

– German Proverb

"If you wish to win a man over to your ideas, first make him your friend."

– Abraham Lincoln

Student Handout PDF: Elements

Work Overtime

1. Is there a law in your country about how many hours a week people can work? Should there be?

2. Has there ever been a period of your life when you were more willing to do overtime? When was it?

3. How many hours a week would you like to work?

4. Have you ever been 'cornered' by a boss just as you were about to leave work? How did you respond? Should you do extra hours for free?

5. Do you think working longer hours actually means you do more work?

6. Who do you think works longer hours: men or women?

7. Which professions do you imagine work more extra hours: managers and professionals or skilled and manual labour?

8. What negative things can be caused by working too long?

9. How would you react if you were told at the job interview that the timetable would include shift work?

10. How would you react if you were told that you would have to work a lot of overtime?

11. What would you do if your boss asked you to work overtime unpaid?

Watch video here: Work Overtime

Read script here: Work Overtime Script

12. What is your reaction? Who, of Greg and Chris, is the most eloquent? Who is the most persuasive?

13. Did you like any of the techniques they used to try and persuade the other? Which ones? Does your boss use these techniques?

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Situation

You are a manager at a finance company. It is 8pm on a busy Wednesday evening. You see one of your employees (your teacher) putting on his jacket and getting ready to go home. What do you say to him?

Use the following phrases:

"We're all in this together."

"The others are staying."

"It's your responsibility to finish your work on time."

"You should be a team player."

"I'll send you a pizza if you need to eat, and pay for the taxi fare when you have finished."

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Discuss quotes

“Working overtime is an underpaid man’s salvation.”

― Mokokoma Mokhonoana

“No" is a complete sentence.”

― Annie Lamott

“When we fail to set boundaries and hold people accountable, we feel used and mistreated. This is why we sometimes attack who they are, which is far more hurtful than addressing a behavior or a choice.”

― Brené Brown

Student Handout PDF: Work Overtime

Speeding

1. Do you drive?

2. Have you ever been stopped for speeding? Or do you know anyone else who has been? What was the outcome?

3. What is the best way of avoiding a speeding ticket/fine?

4. A police officer pulls you over for speeding (you were doing 33 in a 30mph zone) - what do you say? What good/bad things could you say? How useful are humour, sarcasm, defiance, acquiescence in avoiding a speeding ticket?

Watch video here: Speeding

Read script here: Speeding Script

5. What is your reaction? Is this a realistic response to this situation?

6. I could see this working with some UK policemen/women, but not all. Would the techniques in the video work in your country?

7.Grade the following responses in terms of their usefulness for avoiding a speeding fine after the event:

a) Call the officer at work, and arrange a meeting with him.

b) Write a letter to the officer.

c) Repeat calls/letters to the judge/prosecutor presiding over your case.

d) Follow all court guidelines.

e) Ask for an alternative punishment.

f) Your own solution.

8. Speeding is becoming more and more socially unacceptable in the UK. What's the situation in your country?

9. UK traffic police usually have a good reputation amongst the public. What is the perception of them in your country?

10. They say that justice is blind. What are your feelings about that?

11. How often does the good guy win?

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Situation

You've been pulled over for exceeding the speed limit. Using the techniques seen in this lesson, try to avoid being ticketed. Your teacher will play the role of traffic policeman/woman.

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Discuss quotes

“Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.”

― Dan Rather

"You can't talk your way out of problems you behave yourself into."

--- Stephen Covey

“You catch a lot more flies with honey than vinegar."

--- Proverb

Student Handout PDF: Speeding

Photo: Kindelmedia