We all know persuasive people. These are the people that when they speak others listen. They seem to always have the right words to get others excited, engaged and motivated. We tend to many times look at great sports coaches, politicians, celebrities, religious leaders, CEOs and teachers as those who are most persuasive in our culture. These are people who use their brain and their words to get their work done. They find a way to stir up emotions in others and end up having an influence on them. In the work world I find that the most persuasive people are the ones who are consistent in their actions and words so that when it comes time to influence and get others to follow, people want to do so because most of all, they trust them. Trust comes from respect and the belief that another will be there for you if needed. Trust is built through caring about the needs of others. Trust comes from using the words that have others knowing that you understand them and care for and about them. We get all riled up thinking that to be persuasive we have to spout off being the smartest and sometimes the loudest person in the room. Many times it is those who say the least, that when they speak everyone listens. The Bible says the same in Proverbs 16:21; “The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive.” Today you may need to be the one who can be persuasive. It might be the big presentation or the customer call or the simple act of getting a co-worker to play along. Whatever the situation, try today to use your understanding of others and some pleasant words to be persuasive. Those pleasant and caring words could be the most persuasive of words you could ever find to use.

Reference: Proverbs 16:21 (New Living Testament)