Persuasive Communication Rules

In social psychology, there is a wealth of experimental research exploring the conditions and methods for increasing the effectiveness of verbal influence. These studies have thoroughly examined both the forms of various communication barriers and the ways to overcome them. For example, resistance to accepting information (and thus, to being influenced) can manifest as the listener tuning out, lowering the speaker’s perceived authority, or deliberately “misunderstanding” the message.

Therefore, every speaker should be able to recapture the listener’s attention, attract their interest, reinforce their own authority, and improve their delivery style. It is also crucial that the nature of the statement matches the communication context, including the degree of formality and other relevant factors.

The set of specific measures aimed at increasing the effectiveness of verbal influence is known as persuasive communication. The characteristics of the communicator that enhance the effectiveness of their speech have also been thoroughly described, particularly the types of positions they may take during the communication process.

Types of Communicator Positions

• Open position – The speaker openly declares their support for the viewpoint being presented and evaluates various facts to support this perspective.
• Detached position – The speaker maintains a deliberately neutral stance, comparing conflicting viewpoints without openly aligning with any of them.
• Closed position – The speaker conceals their viewpoint and may even take special measures to hide it.

The content of each position is determined by the goal of the communication, but each has its own potential to enhance the impact of the message.

While emotions and relationships are important, business communication (unlike communication between close individuals) is primarily about conveying information rather than emotional states. Information is transmitted through language, taking a verbal or written form. In this process, some meaning may be distorted or lost.

Nine Rules for Successful Communication

1. Create clear, concise, and well-structured sentences. Long sentences are harder to understand and require more concentration from the listener. The main point can get lost in subordinate clauses.
2. Use short sentences (8–15 words) that express a complete thought. Avoid excessive use of conjunctions like “and,” “because,” “that,” “but,” etc. Short sentences are always clearer and more precise.
3. Your voice is the most powerful tool of persuasion. Vocal expressiveness is perceived emotionally rather than rationally. A monotonous voice often leads to failure in business communication.
4. Pauses break up the flow of speech and serve psychological functions: they increase attention, calm the listener, emphasize key points, and provide a moment to regroup.
5. Expand your active vocabulary. The quality and quantity of your vocabulary enhance the impact of your statements. The passive vocabulary of an educated person is 30,000–50,000 words, while the active vocabulary (used in spontaneous speech) is 3,000–12,000 words.
6. Use verbs more often than nouns. Verbs make statements more vivid, while nouns are often more abstract. For example, words like “school,” “pen,” “house,” or “car” evoke different images for different people. Verbs help create a clearer picture. Minimize the use of adjectives, as they may be interpreted differently by others.
7. Use the active voice rather than the passive. The active voice is more dynamic. For example: “I invited him” instead of “He was invited by me.” The passive voice is impersonal, creates distance, and carries less emotional weight.
8. Avoid impersonal phrasing. Phrases like “According to this, it can be understood that…” or the use of large numbers can feel distant and impersonal. The subjunctive mood (“I would say…”, “I would think…”, “I should have…”) does not express decisive action and creates distance between speakers.
9. A serious problem arises when your partner does not fully understand or interprets your words differently than you intended. It is advisable to clarify key concepts at the beginning of the conversation by explaining exactly what you mean.

These rules highlight the inseparability of verbal and nonverbal aspects of communication. Much of how information is understood depends on how clearly and concisely we express our thoughts. The following are common reasons that hinder the transfer of information from one person to another:

• Inaccurate statements
• Poor translation of thoughts into words
• Inappropriate use of professional jargon
• Misinterpretation of the other person’s intentions
• Excessive use of foreign words
• Incomplete information
• Speaking too quickly
• Logical gaps or jumps in thought
• Lack of concentration
• Not using different sensory channels
• Overly complex ideas
• Logical contradictions in arguments
• Inappropriate intonation, facial expressions, or gestures that do not match the words

We all notice that in daily communication, some messages are decoded and interpreted differently than the sender intended. Mistakes happen so often that Murphy’s Law can be applied: “If there is even one chance that communication will fail, it will.” Errors, like noise, can occur at any point in the system. There may be too little time for decoding, feedback may not reach its target, the wrong communication channel may be chosen, or cultural and psychological factors may create too much noise.

Ten Criteria for Unsuccessful Communication

1. Lack of information. When information on a topic is incomplete, people tend to seek other sources or fill in the gaps themselves. This often happens in organizations where management, trying not to overload employees, provides less information than is necessary. As a result, organizational performance suffers.
2. Information overload. If a message contains too much information, the recipient’s natural reaction is to ignore most of it. It is easier to dismiss the entire message than to analyze it. Sometimes, the recipient cannot process all the information and may focus on the wrong details.
3. Low information value. The optimal amount of information does not guarantee successful communication if the quality is poor. For example, if you ask a programmer friend for help with your computer and receive a response full of technical jargon, neither of you will be satisfied. Other examples of low-value information include outdated, ambiguous, or illogical messages.
4. Timing issues. Even with the right information, a lack of time to decode and process it can lead to communication failure. The same result occurs if information is received too late or too early. In the latter case, the recipient may postpone processing the message and eventually forget about it. The timing of information delivery is as important as its quantity and quality.

Understanding and applying these principles can significantly improve the effectiveness of your communication, helping you avoid common pitfalls and achieve your goals more efficiently.