| When someone has a higher position or more | | | | many people complied when the experimenter was |
| authority than you, the automatic trigger is that | | | | dressed in normal street clothes versus when he was |
| whatever that person says must be true. The FAA | | | | dressed as a security guard. After giving the |
| found that many errors by flight captains were not | | | | command, the experimenter would turn a corner so |
| challenged or corrected by other members of the | | | | he was out of the pedestrian's sight. Incredibly, |
| crew. This blind obedience to position and authority | | | | almost all of the pedestrians obeyed when he was |
| resulted in catastrophes. One airline, concerned about | | | | dressed in uniform, even after he was gone! When |
| this evidence, tested their own flight crews via flight | | | | he was dressed in street clothes, less than half of |
| simulators. They created conditions that would lead | | | | the pedestrians complied with his request. In another |
| to mental overload and emotional stimulation. The | | | | study, Lawrence and Watson found that individuals |
| captains (in one study) would make fatal mistakes at | | | | asking for contributions to law enforcement and |
| a critical moment. The airline was shocked to find | | | | healthcare campaigns gathered more donations when |
| that 25% of the flights would have crashed because | | | | wearing sheriffs' and nurses' uniforms than when |
| the subordinates did not take corrective action and | | | | they just dressed normally.Authority by TitleWe are |
| challenge the position of the plane's captain. Authority | | | | all suckers to titles. When we hear "doctor" in front |
| by PositionThose who have authority based on the | | | | of a name, it automatically registers in our mind that |
| position they hold in the community have Positional | | | | this 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 by | | | | of their class. In the medical profession, the "Dr." is |
| Stanley Milgram at Yale University illustrates just how | | | | the king and the head decision-maker. We love to |
| powerful Positional Authority can be. In his | | | | hear "two out of three doctors recommend" or "nine |
| experiment, Milgram had some participants pose as | | | | out ten dentists use this product or service." This is |
| "teachers," while others portrayed the "learners." The | | | | all based on authority power. We respect, admire, |
| "teachers" were told they were going to help the | | | | and follow the recommendations or opinions of those |
| researcher test the learning levels in the "learners" by | | | | in authority.In one particular case, researchers wanted |
| giving progressively more intense shocks each time a | | | | to test and see if the power of authority by title |
| "learner" answered memory questions incorrectly.Of | | | | won out over established rules and regulations. They |
| course, no real shock was administered, but the | | | | were going to see if nurses would over-prescribe an |
| "teachers" were not aware of the false premise, and | | | | unauthorized drug to a patient when requested by |
| the "learners" were instructed to act as though the | | | | doctor 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 the | | | | a 20 mg dose of a drug called Astrogen administered |
| study was to see how far the "teachers" would go in | | | | to a certain patient. He told her to do it as soon as |
| obeying the head researcher's authority, even if it | | | | possible 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 the | | | | would sign the prescription upon his arrival. The |
| subjects delivered as much pain as they could (450 | | | | experiment intentionally violated four rules: First, the |
| volts), pulling all 30 of the shock switches, even when | | | | hospital forbade prescriptions to be made over the |
| the acting "learners" pleaded, begged, and even | | | | phone; second, Astrogen was an unauthorized drug; |
| screamed for them to stop the experiment.This | | | | third, the dosage was dangerously excessive - in |
| experiment strikingly demonstrates the concepts | | | | fact, double the amount specified on the label; and |
| we've made about Positional Authority. Consider the | | | | fourth, the order was given by a supposed "doctor," |
| following key points: First of all, the "teachers" were | | | | whom 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 the | | | | nurses headed straight for the medicine cabinet and |
| researcher to please end the experiment. But when | | | | on 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 their | | | | researcher, 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 the | | | | influence 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 the | | | | missing puzzle piece that will crack the code to |
| "learners" ordering the "teachers" to deliver more | | | | dramatically increase your income, improve your |
| shocks, while the researcher protested, not even | | | | relationships, and help you get what you want, when |
| one single person obeyed! One hundred percent | | | | you 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 this | | | | your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. |
| experiment, Milgram wrote, "It is the extreme | | | | Sure you've seen some success, but think of the |
| willingness of adults to go to almost any lengths on | | | | times you couldn't get it done. Has there ever been a |
| the command of an authority that constitutes the | | | | time when you did not get your point across? Were |
| chief finding of the study."Authority by UniformDo | | | | you 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 a | | | | motivate 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 power | | | | relationships? Imagine being able to overcome |
| with what they wear. When you wear the right | | | | objections before they happen, know what your |
| clothes for the situation, you can persuade without | | | | prospect 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 in | | | | Persuasion IQ analysis to determine where you rank |
| street clothes. The officer in uniform will get | | | | and what area of the sales cycle you need to |
| immediate attention because we respond and | | | | improve in order to close every sale! Take your test |
| respect uniforms. Even clergy who wear their robes | | | | now at Mortensen teaches over a hundred |
| command more respect and are able to persuade | | | | techniques to give you the ability to effectively work |
| and influence with higher efficiency than they can | | | | with every customer that walks in your door. |
| when sporting street clothes. We see a doctor in a | | | | Professional success, personal happiness, leadership |
| white coat and automatically assume he is a medical | | | | potential, 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 and | | | | Mortensen's trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; rather |
| polished shoes, we automatically assume his is in | | | | than convincing others, he teaches that you should |
| charge or is the decision maker. We know people | | | | attract them, just like a magnet attracts metal filings. |
| treat us differently based on how we dress.In one | | | | He teaches that sales have changed and the |
| experiment, a man would stop pedestrians in New | | | | consumer has become exponentially more skeptical |
| York City. The experimenter either had them pick up | | | | and 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 nearly | | | | persuade and influence will make the difference |
| fifty feet away, telling them the man had over | | | | between 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 the | | | | IQ analysis. |
| necessary change. Researchers watched to see how | | | | |