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7 Powerful Ways Successful People Persuade Their Way to the Top

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Have you ever wondered how successful people always have their way? When they speak, everyone listens. If they have a request, they meet ZERO resistance. Whatever they do, there’s always a crowd to cheer them on.

You can’t attribute it to good looks; not every entrepreneur out there looks like Bradley Cooper or Brad Pitt. You also can’t blame wealth. Some of the most successful people came from poverty. They built their business through sheer effort and work ethic.

So how? In my investigation, I found one common thread: they know how to persuade. They know what “hot buttons” to press to make people act. This is a highly complex skill they mastered to win businesses, create a tribe of fans, and live the 1% life. If you want to be successful, you need to learn how to persuade…because in this world, you’re either the persuader or the persuaded.

The 6 Principles of Persuasion by Dr. Cialdini

Dr. Robert Cialdini’s best-selling book, Influence, became the “go-to” book for influence and persuasion. In his book, he explains the 6 principles of persuasion:

  • Reciprocity
  • Commitment and consistency
  • Social proof
  • Authority
  • Liking
  • Scarcity

Below you’ll see how successful people put these principles into action:

1. They shift your paradigms

A paradigm is how you look at the world. It’s what you perceive as normal or standard. You don’t expect it to change, you believe “this is how things should be.” Now, here comes a person who shifts your paradigm and opens you to a new world where everything is bright, easy, and fun. You’re instantly hooked! And then he constantly supplies you with “aha” moments and epiphanies.

Once your paradigm shifts to theirs, this person becomes your thought-leader, your head-honcho, and the big guy. And we all know we’d do anything for a person we follow, admire, and respect. Hot button pressed: Authority

2. They side with you to fight your enemies

Nothing bonds more than having a common enemy. If a person helps you defeat an enemy, not only will you thank them, but you’ll be grateful for their existence. The enemy doesn’t even have to be a person, it can be a struggle, a challenge, an event, a pain or frustration. Hot button pressed: Liking

3. They confirm your suspicions

We want confirmation about what we want to believe, not just want we currently believe. I know it’s kind of sad, but this is how most of us think. That’s why when an expert finally confirms our suspicions, we latch on to them in a heartbeat. We don’t even think about it. Why? Because we love telling people “I told you so!” We feel superior. The thoughts and opinions we secretly held are now validated and just like #1, the person who confirms our suspicions becomes our thought-leader. Hot button pressed: Commitment

4. They encourage your dreams

The world is full of naysayers. Most of them are losers who haven’t done zilch in their life. They just throw rocks at people who are attempting to transcend mediocrity. Successful people are encouragers, they’re teachers and they want other people to succeed. They don’t bash other businesses or call people names, they elevate all the people around them. That’s why people love to be around them. They have a proven track record of success and are willing to share it to anyone who listens. Hot Button: Consistency

“Since 95 percent of the people are imitators and only 5 percent initiators, people are persuaded more by the actions of others than by any proof we can offer.” – Robert Cialdini

5. They justify your failures

“Every mistake, failure, accident, and misfortune that came your way is not your fault.” You know that’s not true, yet, you want it to be true. You want to shift all the blame to someone or something else.

This is the mentality of 99.9% of the population. If you want to succeed, eliminate this attitude NOW. If you don’t, you’ll always have the *victim mentality* preventing you from succeeding. Once you erase it from your system, tap into this fact to persuade people around you. Successful people always found creative ways to justify a person’s failures without lying or being unethical. Hot button: Reciprocity

6. They want you to belong

Ever since we were born, we wanted to belong. We want to be accepted, to feel safe, and be cared for by a community. Each of us longs for this either consciously or subconsciously.

This need goes back to our ancestors. Back then, if you were kicked out of a tribe you were good as dead. No one is going to protect you against the tigers and have your back while you rested. That’s why we desperately want to belong.

Successful people know this all too well. That’s why they give this as a reward for buying their product, promoting their cause, or anything they want you to do. You’ll finally belong if you do anything he/she says. Hot button: Social Proof

“We like people who are similar to us. This fact seems to hold true whether the similarity is in the area of opinions, personality traits, background, or life-style.” – Robert Cialdini

7. They’re protective of their time

The more limited edition a product is, the more value it has. For example: rare baseball cards, luxury cars, 5-star hotels, 5-star restaurants…the list goes on and on. The same goes with successful people, you can’t get ahold of them quickly, you have to go through hoops, talk to “their people” before you can even request a meeting.

Yet you still do this and desire to grab their attention because you know it’s valuable. Some of them are actually doing this to protect their time. Some are doing this to position themselves as scarce, because the less you have of them, the more you want them. Once they decide to give you their attention, you’re all eyes and ears. Hot button: Scarcity

By doing these 7 things, you’re triggering the 6 principles of persuasion. As you can see, it’s not that hard to do. With a little bit of research and focus, you can persuade ANYONE on the planet. You don’t even have to do all 7, pick one and use it over and over again. You’ll be surprised how effective these methods will be.

Out of the 7, which do you want to apply today? Comment below!

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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

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What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

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  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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