The Role of Authority In Power Part One of Two

When someone has a higher position or moremany people complied when the experimenter was
authority than you, the automatic trigger is thatdressed in normal street clothes versus when he was
whatever that person says must be true. The FAAdressed as a security guard. After giving the
found that many errors by flight captains were notcommand, the experimenter would turn a corner so
challenged or corrected by other members of thehe was out of the pedestrian's sight. Incredibly,
crew. This blind obedience to position and authorityalmost all of the pedestrians obeyed when he was
resulted in catastrophes. One airline, concerned aboutdressed in uniform, even after he was gone! When
this evidence, tested their own flight crews via flighthe was dressed in street clothes, less than half of
simulators. They created conditions that would leadthe pedestrians complied with his request. In another
to mental overload and emotional stimulation. Thestudy, Lawrence and Watson found that individuals
captains (in one study) would make fatal mistakes atasking for contributions to law enforcement and
a critical moment. The airline was shocked to findhealthcare campaigns gathered more donations when
that 25% of the flights would have crashed becausewearing sheriffs' and nurses' uniforms than when
the subordinates did not take corrective action andthey just dressed normally.Authority by TitleWe are
challenge the position of the plane's captain. Authorityall suckers to titles. When we hear "doctor" in front
by PositionThose who have authority based on theof a name, it automatically registers in our mind that
position they hold in the community have Positionalthis person is important, powerful, and intelligent. We
Authority. This includes your boss, the U.S. President,don't even ask if he or she graduated at the bottom
or a police officer. A landmark study conducted byof their class. In the medical profession, the "Dr." is
Stanley Milgram at Yale University illustrates just howthe king and the head decision-maker. We love to
powerful Positional Authority can be. In hishear "two out of three doctors recommend" or "nine
experiment, Milgram had some participants pose asout ten dentists use this product or service." This is
"teachers," while others portrayed the "learners." Theall based on authority power. We respect, admire,
"teachers" were told they were going to help theand follow the recommendations or opinions of those
researcher test the learning levels in the "learners" byin authority.In one particular case, researchers wanted
giving progressively more intense shocks each time ato test and see if the power of authority by title
"learner" answered memory questions incorrectly.Ofwon out over established rules and regulations. They
course, no real shock was administered, but thewere going to see if nurses would over-prescribe an
"teachers" were not aware of the false premise, andunauthorized drug to a patient when requested by
the "learners" were instructed to act as though thedoctor they didn't know. A researcher would call in
pain were real. It appeared as though the "learner"and tell a nurse he was a doctor and that he wanted
were suffering intense pain. The purpose of thea 20 mg dose of a drug called Astrogen administered
study was to see how far the "teachers" would go into a certain patient. He told her to do it as soon as
obeying the head researcher's authority, even if itpossible so the drug would have time to take affect
meant inflicting great pain on a fellow human being.by the time he arrived. He further stated that he
The results were astounding: Two-thirds of thewould sign the prescription upon his arrival. The
subjects delivered as much pain as they could (450experiment intentionally violated four rules: First, the
volts), pulling all 30 of the shock switches, even whenhospital forbade prescriptions to be made over the
the acting "learners" pleaded, begged, and evenphone; second, Astrogen was an unauthorized drug;
screamed for them to stop the experiment.Thisthird, the dosage was dangerously excessive - in
experiment strikingly demonstrates the conceptsfact, double the amount specified on the label; and
we've made about Positional Authority. Consider thefourth, the order was given by a supposed "doctor,"
following key points: First of all, the "teachers" werewhom the nurse had never met or even heard of. In
noticeably uncomfortable with what they were doing.spite of these red flags, a whopping 95% of the
In fact, they hated it. Many of them asked thenurses headed straight for the medicine cabinet and
researcher to please end the experiment. But whenon to the patient's room. Before they went any
he refused, they continued on, trembling, perspiring,further, they were stopped by an undercover
and some even laughing nervously. In spite of theirresearcher, who told them about the
extreme discomfort, almost all of the "teachers"experiment.ConclusionLearning how to persuade and
continued to obey the head researcher until theinfluence will make the difference between hoping for
experiment was over. The converse is also revealing:a better income and having a better income. It is the
When the scripts were reversed and it was themissing puzzle piece that will crack the code to
"learners" ordering the "teachers" to deliver moredramatically increase your income, improve your
shocks, while the researcher protested, not evenrelationships, and help you get what you want, when
one single person obeyed! One hundred percentyou want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how
refused to obey the "learners" over the researcher.much money and income you have lost because of
After obtaining the shocking results of thisyour inability to persuade and influence. Think about it.
experiment, Milgram wrote, "It is the extremeSure you've seen some success, but think of the
willingness of adults to go to almost any lengths ontimes you couldn't get it done. Has there ever been a
the command of an authority that constitutes thetime when you did not get your point across? Were
chief finding of the study."Authority by UniformDoyou unable to convince someone to do something?
clothes really "make the man"? In certain instances,Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to
yes, they do. When you wear a uniform to play amotivate yourself and others to achieve more and
certain role, that uniform evokes power over others.accomplish their goals? What about your
People create impressions or even illusions of powerrelationships? Imagine being able to overcome
with what they wear. When you wear the rightobjections before they happen, know what your
clothes for the situation, you can persuade withoutprospect is thinking and feeling, feel more confident in
even speaking. Think of what a police uniform says;your ability to persuade.Go to and take the free
imagine a police officer trying to clear a urban riot inPersuasion IQ analysis to determine where you rank
street clothes. The officer in uniform will getand what area of the sales cycle you need to
immediate attention because we respond andimprove in order to close every sale! Take your test
respect uniforms. Even clergy who wear their robesnow at Mortensen teaches over a hundred
command more respect and are able to persuadetechniques to give you the ability to effectively work
and influence with higher efficiency than they canwith every customer that walks in your door.
when sporting street clothes. We see a doctor in aProfessional success, personal happiness, leadership
white coat and automatically assume he is a medicalpotential, and income depend on the ability to
professional who knows exactly what to prescribe.persuade, influence, and motivate others. Kurt
When a businessperson shows up in a $1,500 suit andMortensen's trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; rather
polished shoes, we automatically assume his is inthan convincing others, he teaches that you should
charge or is the decision maker. We know peopleattract them, just like a magnet attracts metal filings.
treat us differently based on how we dress.In oneHe teaches that sales have changed and the
experiment, a man would stop pedestrians in Newconsumer has become exponentially more skeptical
York City. The experimenter either had them pick upand cynical within the last five years. Most persuaders
paper bags, move from where they were standing,are using only 2 or 3 persuasion techniques when
or requested they give money to a perfect stranger.there are actually 120 available! Learning how to
The experimenter would point to another man nearlypersuade and influence will make the difference
fifty feet away, telling them the man had overbetween hoping for a better income and having a
parked and didn't have any change to pay the meter.better income. Go to and take the free Persuasion
He would then tell them to go give the man theIQ analysis.
necessary change. Researchers watched to see how