Is saying something misleading an effective way of persuading others to your point of view?

Question

I've seen a few people try. Not necessarily the people on the board now.

Answer 1

it may be in a decieving way, not very nice at all.

Answer 2

People with honest arguments don't need dishonest ones.

People who use dishonest arguments display the fact that they don't have an honest one.  

Answer 3

Lying is always effective, but only the gullible are vulnerable.  That is why I always encourage critical thinking, to remove this vulnerability.

Answer 4

Yes, it can be very a effective persuasive technique, albeit a despicable one.

Answer 5

To persuade others, you must learn to be aware of how people make decisions and especially what motivates them. Begin by realizing information about your situation, service or product is of no value unless it is perceived as valuable by the listener. With that key principle in mind, you can see how to develop a communications process to persuade others to your point of view and even motivate them to take action.

The first element is to understand who makes the decision. Many times, determining who will make the decision is more complex than it first appears. The decision makers may not be clear from an organizational chart, nor the individuals that influence their thinking. Many times you may have to make your case, not to the person who will make the decision, but to the one who will influence his or her thinking.

Next, understand the needs and objectives of those who are making the decision. Many times you recognize the formal, or openly stated, needs. These might be things such as cost savings, improved efficiency, reaching productivity levels and even growth.

Don’t underestimate the informal needs that are not stated openly. These may even be personal needs of the decision makers. It may be needs such as how to improve the power of their organization, build their own power, improve their standing or protect their own future. In a complex organization, these informal or personal needs can be difficult to uncover.

Understand both personal and professional relationships. Even the most unbiased and objective decision makers see the decision-making process through the filter of their own experiences and personal relationships. A CEO with a marketing background will see a situation differently than one who is from finance or R&D. Understand those involved in the decision and the way relationships influence the way they see your recommendation.

Present things in a way that best meets the decision maker’s needs. While it may be tempting to talk about how great your product is, remember your objective is not to educate but to persuade. Identify what will motivate this person to take positive action on your situation. It’s important in developing your persuasion skills to know your position compared to the competition. Your alternative must be seen as more advantageous to the decision maker. Build your case by showing the wisdom of making the decision in your favor.

Most people love talking about the positive things, but not everything is positive. Be sure to diffuse any negative situations and potential problems. If you know something is going to come up, address it at a time of your choosing. The easiest approach in dealing with a negative situation is to work to turn it into a positive. For example, if a location is remote, some may question the ease of access, while you can stress the ability to have fewer distractions and improved concentration. With skill and effort, every negative can be made into a positive.

The most compelling motivation to get someone to take action is to show the results of their decision or lack of decision. It’s important to realize that people rarely make a decision or buy a product because they like it. They like what it can do for them. For example, people don’t go to a hardware store to just buy a drill, they buy the holes the drill makes.

The last and most important point is that the most persuasive executive stays focused on the task at hand and keeps the attention on who must be persuaded. They ask for commitment throughout the discussion or process. It is much easier to build a commitment to a large decision from many small ones. Getting gradual commitments is smoother, more natural and much more effective than asking for a lot at once.

Persuading is understanding what others need and showing them how you, your product or your company can help them meet their needs. As an executive, you will need great persuasion skills if you are to reach your full potential

Answer 6

Effective, although dishonest and morally wrong.  However, that hasn't stopped politicians and religious leaders doing in for hundreds if not thousands of years...