hey everyone and welcome to top think today we're going to learn about 10 persuasion tricks
used by the fbi now let's begin number one the friend routine who do you trust more a friend
or a stranger trust is built on a foundation of closeness and similarity in other words you trust
people you like more than people you don't in the fbi likability is priority number one
agents don't yell or intimidate they don't lie to and threaten people instead they create bonds
they give people a reason to like and trust them because that trust gets their foot in the door
when someone trusts you it affects everything they say and do it changes their attitude it opens them
up if you reinforce that trust over and over again people will start to spill their secrets
in the fbi agents want to be as likable and trustworthy as possible so they're intentional
with every piece of body language they manage their social habits and mannerisms and they use a
variety of tricks to increase their likability one trick for example is to give someone a compliment
we've all given and received compliments before but few people recognize how powerful
a well-placed compliment can be when used effectively a single compliment can build a bond
and a lasting sense of trust ah but here's the catch that compliment has to be genuine you can't
flatter people just to butter them up if it isn't honest and meaningful your compliment is going to
lose its power this technique is hardly an advanced secret but most of the skills on
this list aren't the fbi rarely use complicated strategies to gather information they rely on
simple but subtle techniques that require no professional training with practice patience
and a handful of these tricks you can persuade almost anyone number two the persuasive package
persuasion begins with your image the right image can strengthen any persuasive tactic from body
language to linguistic cues just think about this you walk into a store looking to buy something
expensive a salesperson walks up to you but they're wearing sweatpants and flip-flops their
hair is unkempt and they've got stains on their shirt no matter how knowledgeable this person is
their image undermines their influence people want the entire persuasive package extensive knowledge
likable charm and a strong image people are much more likely to believe you if you have all three
that's why fbi agents take care of their image they work out they dress in suits they're
careful with their gestures and actively refine their language these changes create a stronger
package and more persuasive power number three authentic connections many agents spend time
undercover they change their identities they pretend to live different lives but even under
cover agents never stop acting like themselves authenticity is a vital element of persuasion
if you want to win someone over you need to be genuine and vulnerable you need to connect with
them on a deeper emotional level otherwise your bond will never grow and trust will never develop
now you may not spend much time undercover but authenticity is a powerful tool in any
situation to persuade someone else you have to show them a deeper side of you because every
connection is a two-way street if you're not honest with them they won't be honest with you
number four the 30-second rule in the fbi no one talks for more than 30 seconds hmm why is that
because people can only digest so much information at the same time if you talk longer than 30
seconds details fall through the cracks the listener just gets confused and the information
you need gets muddled just think of it this way what happens when you ask someone 10 questions
at the same time some get answered and some don't but what if you ask just one question that single
question gets their undivided attention so their answer is much more thorough so if you want to be
more persuasive be brief and direct don't ramble for 10 minutes don't disguise your questions with
long and complicated language instead use the 30-second rule get to the point and then stop
number five confessional paraphrasing all right let's say you need to sway
someone's opinion what's the best way to nudge them in a specific direction
paraphrasing can be your greatest weapon agents rarely add new things to the conversation they
don't give information or tell stories of their own when they want something they rephrase your
ideas in a unique way why do they do that because paraphrasing encourages the speaker to elaborate
when someone paraphrases their ideas the speaker feels heard they know the agents
listening intently more importantly they feel like the agent understands them so no matter who you're
talking to people want to feel understood when they feel understood they grow more confident
they begin to trust you and they start to talk in the fbi trust and confidence
may lead to a confession in your daily life trust and confidence gives you the upper hand
number six ransburgher pivot all right let's say you and your friend are having an argument your
friend tries to prove their point but they mess up they get something wrong and when
that happens what do you do you keep quiet or do you jump on the opportunity to win the argument
the latter is far more common most people pounce on bad ideas and false figures
you may think you're winning the argument but the truth is no one actually wins anything your minds
are too made up your opinions are too concrete by attacking their mistakes you're not winning
the argument you're creating emotional conflict in the fbi emotional conflict is destructive if
someone feels attacked or insulted they're going to shut down but just stop talking that's why
agents use the ransburger pivot the ransburger pivot is a three-step process that anyone can use
first listen take in what the other person's saying don't focus on what's right and what's
wrong instead digest their points understand their feelings and let them finish speaking before you
interrupt second say something positive when it's your turn to speak don't focus on their mistakes
lead with a positive sentiment tell them you appreciate their ideas say i agree with most
of what you're saying or that's a really good point these positive sentiments create a peaceful
transition into the final and most important step the pivot a pivot sounds something like this
that's a really good point but i still don't understand why you skipped work you start with
a positive sentiment then you transition into a specific detail that you didn't understand
you're not fighting them you're not arguing with them you're not trying to be right
you're asking for more information so instead of working against you
the ransburger pivot helps you to work together not as enemies but as allies
number 7 mindful manners manners play a crucial persuasive role even in the fbi it's strange to
imagine an fbi agent saying please or thank you to a criminal aren't these agents supposed to be
aggressive and intimidating unlike the movies agents don't actually bully the people they
interview even if they are criminals they want accurate information so they have to
establish a strong rapport with this person the other person has to feel valued and respected
that's why agents never forget their manners no matter who they're talking to number eight
slow down persuasion takes time you have to build a connection you have to win the other person over
you have to get to know them while they get to know you no one spills their guts the moment
you enter the room yet people expect persuasion to happen instantly and when it doesn't you may
get desperate you may get aggressive but if you cross that line you're going to ruin the
relationship you built so slow down take your time ask questions and get more information if
you're in a rush you won't just ruin your rapport you'll also miss valuable cues and
body language little details will slip under your radar all because you are thinking 10 steps ahead
persuasion is a slow and strategic process don't let your impatience ruin your chances
number nine potential answers you have a question that you need answered but so do they
how do you navigate this situation without giving away too much information fbi agents use potential
answers to get information without giving anything away a potential answer looks something like this
i can answer that question but first tell me about what you did today you start by responding
to their question confirm that you're listening and tell them that you have the answers they're
looking for next you turn your answer into a bartering chip you'll give them what they want but
only if they give you what you want first most of the time this is all the encouragement people need
even though you didn't answer their question you're giving the illusion of certainty
they want to know what you know so they'll trade the information you need
number 10 unfinished questions many people ask open-ended questions these questions
pave the way for honest and extensive answers but there's one big problem with open-ended questions
to ask a specific question you have to make an assumption for example you may ask why did you get
so angry this question could trigger an adverse reaction instead of answering your question
the other person may get defensive which makes the conversation unproductive so how do you
avoid these destructive assumptions instead of open-ended questions use unfinished questions
you may say when your boss yelled at you you felt but stop there just
let the other person fill in the blank let them explain exactly how they were feeling
so why do these questions work they invite the other person into your question you're
still asking the same question but you'll never trigger a defensive response hey thank you for
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