HBR
OnPoint
FROM THE HARV ARD BUSINESS REVIEW
A R T I C L E
Harnessing the Science
of Persuasion
by Robert B. Cialdini
New sections to
guide you through
the article:
• The Idea in Brief
• The Idea at Work
• Exploring Further. . .
P R O D U C T N U M B E R 7 9 1 5
Master the magic of
persuasion—discover
the surprising science
behind it.
T H E
I D E A
Do you have it—that magical power to
capture your audience, sway undecideds, con-
vert opponents? In an era of cross-functional
teams and intercompany partnerships, masters
of persuasion exert far greater influence than
formal power structures.
But is persuasion really magic? Must we
ordinary types struggling with leadership’s
greatest challenge—getting things done
through others—despair of ever mastering
this art?
Good news—from behavioral science:
Persuasion works by appealing predictably
to deeply rooted human needs. The rest of
us can learn to secure consensus, cut deals,
win concessions—by artfully applying six
scientific principles of winning friends and
influencing people.
Harnessing the Science of Persuasion
HBR OnPoint © 2001 by Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.
T H E
I D E A
A T W O R K
I N B R I E F
PERSUASION PRINCIPLES
To influence people, win friends, through:
Similarity:Create early bonds with new peers, bosses,
and direct reports by informally discovering common
interests—you’ll establish goodwill and trustworthiness.
Praise:Charm and disarm. Make positive remarks about
others—you’ll generate more willing compliance.
LIKING:
People like those
like them, who like
them.
At Tupperware parties,
guests’ fondness for their
host influences purchase
decisions twice as much as
regard for the products.
Business Application
Give what you want to receive. Lend a staff
member to a colleague who needs help; you’ll
get his help later.
RECIPROCITY:
People repay
in kind.
When the Disabled American
Veterans enclosed free per-
sonalized address labels in
donation-request envelopes,
response rate doubled.
Use peer power to