Principle 16: Let the Other Person Feel that the Idea is His or Hers

We tend to have more faith in ideas that we discover on our own. Hence, rather than presenting an idea as your brilliant solution,make a suggestion and allow the other person to draw his own conclusion.If possible, even allow the other person to claim credit for the idea, as it will yield better results.

No one likes to feel like they're being told what to do. We much prefer to think independently, have autonomy, and act on our own ideas. We like to be consulted about what we think and what we want.

So how can we use this to our advantage? When we're trying to win someone to our way of thinking, we can guide them there - get them halfway or so - and then step back and let them see the idea through to completion.

If we're truly only after the results, why care about the credit? Why not let someone else take the spotlight, so long as we can achieve what we're out to get?

Practice Principle 16

Let's say you're trying to convince your boss to let you take the lead on a new project, or you're trying to close a sale with a new customer. Before going into that conversation, write out a list of questions that would lead your boss or customer to the conclusion you'd like them to draw.

For your boss, it might be:

• How big of a priority is getting this project done in a timely manner?
• Would you trust this project to an entry-level employee or prefer someone more senior?
• How does the priority of this project compare to the priorities of my current projects?

For your customer, it might be:

• What goal are you trying to solve by purchasing this type of product?
• How do you see our product helping you solve those goals?