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Leadership Through Social Influence

Daniel J. O’Keefe

This course will provide learners with a systematic general framework for analyzing persuasive influence situations. Learners will be able to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges. The broad goal is to provide learners with not only an extensive persuasion tool kit, but also with an understanding of how different tools are useful in different situations. Specifically, the course will address four broad topics: strategies for influencing people’s personal attitudes; strategies for affecting social factors influencing behavior; strategies for affecting people’s perceived ability to undertake the desired behavior; and strategies for inducing people to act on their existing intentions.

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Syllabus

Influencing Attitudes

This module discusses the first of four challenges that persuaders often face: getting people to think that what you’re proposing is a good idea. Sometimes, the reason people aren’t already doing what you want is that they’re not yet convinced that they should—that is, they don’t have sufficiently positive attitudes. This module discusses some fundamental strategies for changing people’s attitudes.

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Reviews summary

Effective strategies for social influence

According to learners, this course provides a clear and systematic framework for understanding and applying social influence. Students appreciated the breakdown into four key challenges and found the discussions on influencing attitudes, social factors, perceived ability, and converting intentions into action to be particularly insightful. Many found the course offered actionable strategies and a useful persuasion tool kit that could be immediately applied. While some reviewers noted the course is somewhat theory-heavy, the majority felt the concepts were explained well and provided a strong foundation for real-world application. The lectures were often described as engaging and the overall learning experience was seen as highly valuable for anyone in a leadership role.

Instructor's delivery was engaging.

"The professor was engaging and explained complex ideas in a clear way."

"Lectures were easy to follow and kept my attention throughout the modules."

"I enjoyed the lectures; the instructor's passion for the topic came through."

"The instructor made potentially complex topics accessible and interesting."

Good balance of theory & practice.

"The course successfully balances theoretical concepts with practical examples. It's not just abstract ideas."

"I appreciated that it wasn't *just* theory; there were discussions on applying the strategies."

"Found the mix of foundational theory and practical insights just right for my needs."

"It provides the theoretical grounding needed while still focusing on practical application."

Offers practical strategies & tools.

"I gained several actionable strategies and tools that I can use immediately in my leadership role."

"The 'persuasion tool kit' discussed is genuinely useful. Not just theory, but concrete methods."

"Felt like I walked away with practical ways to approach influencing others."

"Provides concrete steps and techniques that I can apply in real-world scenarios."

Clear, systematic approach presented.

"The course provides a clear and systematic framework for analyzing influence situations. It breaks down the challenges effectively."

"I liked how the course organized influence into four distinct areas. Made it easy to digest and understand."

"This structured approach is a major strength. It helps you think methodically about persuasion."

"I really appreciated the step-by-step process for approaching influence challenges."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Leadership Through Social Influence with these activities:

Review: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

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Help build a strong foundation for the course by introducing the key principles of persuasion.

View Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of... on Amazon

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Read the introduction and first two chapters of Influence
Write a one-page summary of the six principles of persuasion

Review: Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade

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Expand your understanding of persuasion by exploring the concept of pre-suasion.

View Pre-Suasion on Amazon

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Read the introduction and first two chapters of Pre-Suasion
Write a one-page summary of the six principles of pre-suasion

Review: Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

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Gain valuable insights into crafting persuasive messages that stick in the minds of your audience.

View Making Numbers Count: The Art and Science of... on Amazon

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Read the introduction and first two chapters of Made to Stick
Write a one-page summary of the six principles of making ideas stick

Five other activities

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Show all eight activities

Persuasion Techniques Practice

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Allow plenty of time to practice these challenging techniques in different contexts.

Browse courses on Persuasion

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Practice the foot-in-the-door technique with a friend or family member
Practice the reciprocity technique with a salesperson
Practice the authority technique with a peer
Practice the consistency technique with a coworker
Practice the liking technique with a stranger

Advanced Persuasion Techniques Practice

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Develop mastery of advanced persuasion techniques through focused practice.

Browse courses on Persuasion

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Practice the door-in-the-face technique
Practice the lowball technique
Practice the scarcity technique
Practice the ultimatum technique
Practice the contrast technique

Design a Persuasion Campaign

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Challenge yourself to apply the principles of persuasion to a real-world scenario.

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Choose a target audience and a desired behavior
Develop a persuasive message
Choose a communication channel
Create a persuasive video or presentation
Test your campaign and make adjustments

Write a Persuasive Essay

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Demonstrate your understanding of persuasion by crafting a persuasive essay on a topic of your choice.

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Choose a topic and develop a persuasive thesis statement
Research your topic and gather evidence
Write a clear and concise essay
Edit and revise your essay
Submit your essay to your instructor

Design a Persuasion Campaign Proposal

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Apply your knowledge of persuasion to a real-world scenario by creating a persuasive campaign.

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Choose a target audience and a desired behavior
Develop a persuasive message
Choose a communication channel
Write a persuasive campaign proposal
Present your proposal to your instructor

Career center

Learners who complete Leadership Through Social Influence will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Communications Professional

A Communications Professional that specializes in persuasion is responsible for developing and executing communication strategies that influence audiences to take desired actions. This course will provide you with the theoretical foundation and practical skills you need to be successful in this role. You will learn how to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges. You will also gain insights into the latest research on persuasion and how to apply it to your work.

See salaries and explore the career path for Communications Professional

Marketing Manager

A Marketing Manager is responsible for developing and executing marketing campaigns that promote products or services and generate leads. This course will provide you with the skills you need to be successful in this role. You will learn how to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges. You will also gain insights into the latest research on persuasion and how to apply it to your marketing campaigns.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Public relations manager

A Public Relations Manager is responsible for managing the public image of an organization. This course will provide you with the skills you need to be successful in this role. You will learn how to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges. You will also gain insights into the latest research on persuasion and how to apply it to your public relations campaigns.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public relations manager

Sales Manager

A Sales Manager is responsible for leading and motivating a sales team to achieve sales goals. This course will provide you with the skills you need to be successful in this role. You will learn how to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges. You will also gain insights into the latest research on persuasion and how to apply it to your sales strategies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

Politician

A Politician is responsible for representing the interests of their constituents and developing and implementing policies that benefit the public. This course will provide you with the skills you need to be successful in this role. You will learn how to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges. You will also gain insights into the latest research on persuasion and how to apply it to your political campaigns.

See salaries and explore the career path for Politician

Lawyer

A Lawyer is responsible for representing clients in court and advising them on legal matters. This course will provide you with the skills you need to be successful in this role. You will learn how to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges. You will also gain insights into the latest research on persuasion and how to apply it to your legal arguments.

See salaries and explore the career path for Lawyer

Teacher

A Teacher is responsible for educating students and helping them to reach their full potential. This course will provide you with the skills you need to be successful in this role. You will learn how to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges. You will also gain insights into the latest research on persuasion and how to apply it to your teaching methods.

See salaries and explore the career path for Teacher

Social Worker

A Social Worker is responsible for helping people to overcome challenges and improve their lives. This course will provide you with the skills you need to be successful in this role. You will learn how to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges. You will also gain insights into the latest research on persuasion and how to apply it to your social work practice.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Worker

Counselor

A Counselor is responsible for helping people to overcome mental health challenges and improve their lives. This course will provide you with the skills you need to be successful in this role. You will learn how to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges. You will also gain insights into the latest research on persuasion and how to apply it to your counseling practice.

See salaries and explore the career path for Counselor

Human Resources Manager

A Human Resources Manager is responsible for managing the human resources of an organization. This course will provide you with the skills you need to be successful in this role. You will learn how to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges. You will also gain insights into the latest research on persuasion and how to apply it to your human resources practices.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Journalist

A Journalist is responsible for gathering, analyzing, and reporting on news and current events. This course may provide you with some of the skills you need to be successful in this role. You will learn how to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges.

See salaries and explore the career path for Journalist

Writer

A Writer is responsible for creating written content, such as books, articles, and scripts. This course may provide you with some of the skills you need to be successful in this role. You will learn how to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges.

See salaries and explore the career path for Writer

Editor

An Editor is responsible for reviewing, editing, and publishing written content. This course may provide you with some of the skills you need to be successful in this role. You will learn how to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges.

See salaries and explore the career path for Editor

Producer

A Producer is responsible for overseeing the production of a film, television show, or other media content. This course may provide you with some of the skills you need to be successful in this role. You will learn how to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges.

See salaries and explore the career path for Producer

Consultant

A Consultant is responsible for providing advice and expertise to clients on a variety of topics. This course may provide you with some of the skills you need to be successful in this role. You will learn how to identify different challenges faced by persuaders and to fashion appropriate strategies for addressing those challenges.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consultant

Reading list

We've selected 11 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Leadership Through Social Influence.

Influence, New and Expanded

Save

Classic work on the psychology of persuasion. It provides a comprehensive overview of the different factors that influence people's behavior, and it offers practical advice on how to use these factors to persuade others.

Leadership Through Social Influence

Two deals to help you save

What's inside

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Effective strategies for social influence

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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