Summary of article, "Change the way you persuade," based on research examining 5 common executive decision profiles. To buy this article: http://amzn.to/1POMJEJ

1. How to Influence Executives
Andrew Leone, BS Engineering, MBA, MS Finance
5 Styles of Decision Making

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How Executives make High Stakes Choices
Findings from 1,600 Executive interviews over 2-year period
• Research found people tend to resort to single dominant style when making difficult, complex choices:
 How strong was desire to have others educate them about the issues involved in decisions?
 How willing were they to move beyond the status quo?
 How much risk were they comfortable with in making the decision?
• Characteristics and preferences set early in a person’s career and tend to evolve w/ experience
• Not to be confused w/ personality tests

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Five Styles of Decision Making
1 Charismatics (25%): easily intrigued by new ideas; make balanced not emotional decision
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Thinkers (11%): impressed w/ data supported arguments; strong risk aversion & difficult to decide
Skeptics(19%): suspicious of data, especially if challenge worldview; aggressive take-charge style
Followers (36%): based on past decisions or other trusted executives. Risk adverse
Controllers (9%): abhor uncertainty; focus on facts and analytics

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Recommend Ways to Charismatics
Buzz words:
Example:
Approach:
Results, proven, actions, show, watch, easy, clear, focus
Richard Branson
• Fight urge to join excitement
• Focus on discussion results
• Make simple, straightforward arguments
• Use visual aids; stress features & benefits of proposal
Characteristics: Enthusiastic, captivating, talkative, dominant

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Recommend Ways to Thinkers
Characteristics:
Example:
Approach:
Cerebral, intelligent, logical, academic
Bill Gates
• Have lots of data ready
• All pertinent research, incl. market research, customer survey, case studies, etc.
• Want to understand all perspectives of a situation
Buzz words: Quality, academic, think, numbers, intelligent, plan, expert, proof

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Recommend Ways to Skeptics
Characteristics:
Example:
Approach:
Demanding, disruptive, disagreeable, rebellious
Larry Ellison
• Need as much credibility as possible
• Need to transfer creditability prior or during meeting if pissible
• Gain endorsement from trusted source
Buzz words: Demanding, disruptive, disagreeable, rebellious

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Recommend Ways to Followers
Characteristics:
Example:
Approach:
Responsible, cautious, brand-driven, bargain-conscious
Carly Fiorina
• Focus on proven methods
• References and testimonials key factors
• Need to feel they are making right decision
• Specifically that others have succeeded in similar situations
Buzz words: Innovate, expedite, expertise, similar to previous

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Recommend Ways to Controllers
Characteristics:
Example:
Approach:
Logical, unemotional, sensible, detail-oriented, accurate, analytical
Martha Stewart
• Arguments need to be structured and logical
• Wants detail, but only if presented by expert
• Don’t be too aggressive or pushy
• Give information and hope controllers will convince themselves
Buzz words: Details, facts, reason, logic, power, handle, physical, grab, just do it

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Recommended Reading
Williams, G. and Miller, B. (2001). Change the Way You Persuade.
Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Review Magazine.

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