Persuasive Arguments Flow Uphill

In a healthy working environment, natural behaviors that we all recognize drive how people behave when they interact with each other. Take the  case where people of differing perspectives come together to generate ideas, develop plans, and make decisions.

Natural human behaviors that we all recognize drive the dynamics.  The energy of the people in the group drives the idea, plan or decision uphill.

Here’s how it works:

A persuasive argument flows uphill, resolving the concerns of slightly dissimilar individuals first. Then, it moves around the room like a circular game of catchball.

Imagine yourself in a circle where players to the left have different perspectives from you and players to the right have a perspective most like your point of view. Now, imagine you are convinced the group should come to a particular decision and you want to persuade them to agree. Your energy will set the persuasive argument in motion. But it is the energy of the other people, some who don’t share your perspective on the decision, who will close the deal for you.

It’s the restatement of the reasons for agreement that persuades the next person in the room along the chain. As the energy progresses around the circle, different perspectives create agreement. Your persuasive argument flows uphill.