The Art of Woo

If you think people need to listen to your ideas just because they are bright, then go away and read this book that I just finished reading. The real world needs to be persuaded. In fact, you need to woo people to succeed in selling your ideas. Having smart ideas is necessary but not sufficient. Wharton Profs Shell and Moussa have tried to turn wooing into a science by giving those step by step instructions that people just LOVE! The picture of the two parakeets should become the mnemonic for you every time you want to woo someone. Notice there is no club being used by the parakeet while wooing. In fact the one trying to woo is facing the object of attention. Yeah, it is always about understanding the others needs and point of view before you start your spiel.I got interested in reading the book The Art of Woo – Using Strategic Persuasion to Sell Your Ideas by Richard Shell and Mario Moussa having attended a seminar by Mario. All of us know that it is not enough to have a bright idea. If you are unable to sell the idea and have it enthusiastically supported by the stakeholders, that idea will die a natural death. It is not just about the brilliance of the idea alone that matters, but how we are able to enlist supporters to make the idea work. Business world needs people to sell ideas, seek funds, resources, sanctions and what have you. People negotiate deals. Terrorists and governments negotiate to get hostages released. All these are situations that need wooing. People use many different approaches. Which ones work best? Listen to George Kohlrieser, hostage negotiator in real life and author of Hostage at the Table talk about how building a strong relationship of trust (even when you do not like the other person) is the first thing that you do while negotiating your way out of a situation. One false move and lives may be lost. He advises us to look for common goals.https://youtu.be/Nj1LxitX4ikSelling ideas can be done in many ways. You can use to enlist the power of the senior folks, use data and logic to entice others. This book tells you how to Win Others Over (Woo). I attended a short power packed hour-long seminar by Mario Moussa who also directs the Strategic Persuasion Workshop at Wharton School, Pennsylvania, US (http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/). Pretty early into the seminar, the mild mannered and soft spoken Mario soon had all of us eagerly listening to his anecdotes and making furious notes on the strategies to woo. The word “Woo” has interesting synonyms – persuade, encourage, court, entice, flatter etc. They all show that savvy negotiators use persuasion and not confrontation to achieve goals. Check out the self scoring test that you can take to get a diagnosis of what your current style of persuasion is – Driver, Commander, Promoter, Chess Player, and Advocate. “These are styles that emerge out of concern for self or others and how socially assertive or reserved you are. Once you plot yourself, you know exactly what style you are using too much or too little of and whether it is a hindrance or a barrier.”, says Mario. The book identifies five barriers to influence. For instance, the first barrier can be the relationship itself. How will the other person view your relationship to him or her? Will they like you or trust you? There are four more. You need to read the book to find out what those possibly could be.The book draws upon the authors’ own experience of advising corporations and even hostage rescue teams to create a compulsive case for you to learn the art of Woo. For every technique there is a story or an anecdote that helps create a context. The technique is then elaborated. It is a great approach that keeps you asking for more. There are suggestions on all aspects of Woo – by the way, even making a PowerPoint presentation can be a method of Woo. There are eight techniques that can breathe life into your presentations.Two of which are – tell a story, make it vivid. So forget using your slides as “scripts” for your presentation. Use graphics and simple words that will be easy to remember. That is the art of woo. Focus on the other person and see what you can do to meet their need. Woo recommends that we use both sides of the brain – the logical left bran and the creative right side to impact the person you are selling to. I believe, the decision to buy is an emotional one. People however use the logic to defend their decision after they have made the purchase.All in all, certainly a book I would recommend. It has some interesting tips that you could use whether to become more skilled at persuasion or better still at building the relationships that will give you success. It will tell you that even though you start with your idea, but then in the end, others have to carry it forward. That will tell you how successfully you have mastered the art of woo. When I asked Mario for one piece of advice for the reader, he simply scribbled “Woo Wisely” in my copy of his book.You can read more about the book by clicking on this link