Description: To persuade successfully and non-manipulatively, it's important to understand five key principles of influence. Principle #5: A person will more likely be influenced if you help them get to the heart of the matter.

Description: No matter what you do, you are in sales in some way. The word, "sales" or "selling" brings up negative connotations for many people. It may be helpful to think of it as "influence". Whether you're a sales professional, coach, consultant or executive - there are key stakeholders in your world you need to influence. To persuade successfully and non-manipulatively, it's important to understand five key principles of influence. Principle #3 is covered here.

Description: The author identifies miscommunication challenges that may exist in the workplace, including misunderstandings and communication mishaps, assumption of motive, and relational tension, and suggests clarifying conversation as a way to address these challenges.

Description: Readers are encouraged to attend the attend the Coaching for Performance session at the 2006 Life Spring meeting of the SOA.

Description: This article describes how to help the client see that the pain of not having your product or service is greater than the pain of parting with his or her hard-earned dollars.

Description: The author discusses how to enhance your career status, by setting yourself apart. This involves approaching your career as if it were your own business. The author notes that if you are a consultant, this way of thinking may not be a huge leap, but when you work for a company performing functions that are not directly revenue-producing, you may not have thought about this approach. The author then provides a checklist of seven essential steps to accomplish this. From ‘The Stepping Stone’ issue number 43.

Description: The author discusses lessons and strategies he learned about selling from having a painful toothache.