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