Influence: Mastering Life’s Most Powerful Skill

Overview

Gain valuable knowledge that you can apply to your career or home life with this course that explains the psychology behind how and why people can be influenced. Don’t just let influence happen to you; take charge of your life by understanding the science behind how influence works and by strengthening your own skills to use it to your advantage.

In this dynamic 12-lecture series, you’ll discover how to tap into the hidden powers of influence and use these powers to enhance your life in ways you never thought possible. Professor Brown teaches you how and why influence works, exploring the four key factors involved in influence attempts, delving into psychological and sociological research, pondering the ethics surrounding influence, and providing solid tips for becoming more influential.

Course Content

01: A Model for Successful Influence

Understand what makes an influence attempt successful, including the possible outcomes of persuasive efforts and the factors that determine these outcomes. (32 min)

02: Characteristics of Influential Agents

Examine the traits that make someone persuasive, including beauty, trustworthiness, and charisma, and see how these characteristics manifest in real-world situations. (30 min)

03: The Dark Side of Influence

Delve into the “dark triad” of personality traits—Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy—that lead some individuals to exploit others through influence. (32 min)

04: Characteristics of Suggestible Targets

Discover what makes some individuals more susceptible to influence and how suggestibility, motivation, and age play a role in this dynamic. (30 min)

05: Influence Tactics-Hard and Soft

Explore the two general tactical methods of influencing others: soft tactics, which appeal to emotions, and hard tactics, which involve authority and coalition-building. (29 min)

06: How to Make the Most of Soft Tactics

Learn about the factors that affect the success of soft tactics and discover takeaways to increase their effectiveness in your interactions. (28 min)

07: How Context Shapes Influence

Examine how contextual cues like scarcity, authority, and social proof can shape your influence attempts and how to leverage this awareness. (32 min)

08: Practicing Impression Management

Discover how to shape others’ perceptions of you through impression management tactics, including self-promotion and ingratiation. (31 min)

09: Selling and Being Sold

Investigate the characteristics of effective salespeople and how to apply influence concepts to enhance your experiences in sales situations, like buying a car. (30 min)

10: Delivering Effective Speeches

Learn how to be less nervous and more persuasive when speaking in front of groups, drawing insights from classical and modern rhetorical techniques. (32 min)

11: Developing Negotiation Skills

Master the art of negotiation by examining position-based and principle-based strategies for achieving successful deals. (32 min)

12: Becoming a Transformational Leader

Conclude with a discussion on effective leadership qualities, inspired by leaders like Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Nelson Mandela. (34 min)