Negotiate Anything
Vanessa Bohns: Misunderstanding Influence Could Be Your Biggest Mistake
Nov 4, 2024
Vanessa Bohns, an experimental social psychologist and professor at Cornell University, explores the often-misunderstood realm of social influence. In their conversation, she reveals how ancient fears of social rejection shape our negotiation strategies today. Vanessa highlights the surprising power of face-to-face communication and why people underestimate their own influence. She also discusses ethical considerations necessary when using social dynamics to persuade others, offering listeners practical tools to enhance their negotiation skills.
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Quick takeaways
- Understanding the misperceived fear of social rejection can encourage individuals to make bolder requests in negotiations.
- Direct face-to-face communication significantly enhances the effectiveness of requests compared to digital interactions, impacting negotiation outcomes.
Deep dives
Understanding Misperceptions of Influence
Individuals often underestimate the influence they have in social interactions, a phenomenon that can lead to hesitancy when making requests. Research conducted by social psychologists shows that people frequently overestimate the difficulty of persuading others, believing they will face rejection more often than they actually do. This disconnect between perceived and actual influence can prevent individuals from seizing opportunities to connect or ask for assistance, ultimately hindering their potential effectiveness in negotiations. By recognizing that most people are more agreeable than anticipated, individuals can approach conversations with greater confidence.
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