Posts in Influence and Persuasion
Can people change? My thoughts on the altMBA

Can people change? This seems like such a debated age-old question, it might not even be worth asking. But I think it's important to consider. Today is the last day of the altMBA September session, and two days ago, we opened applications for our January 2016 session (Seth's blog post here).

I'll admit, I wasn't sure what to write about in this post.

This is ironic, because we have our students publish their work 3x per week, and because I think about altMBA 24/7. So you would think I could easily find something to write about here.

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Influence and PersuasionWes KaoInfluence and Persuasion
"Let's go around and introduce ourselves": How to respond to this terrible ice breaker

There's a common ice breaker at conference breakout sessions. It's the dreaded "Let's go around the room and introduce ourselves" question.

Here’s what's supposed to happen: You learn that, in addition to being a sales manager, Tim likes wind-surfing on weekends.

You do too. You find him during the break and talk. You build rapport.

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Influence and PersuasionWes KaoInfluence and Persuasion
How waiters should respond when a customer says, "What do you recommend?"

Have you ever gone to a restaurant and said, "It's our first time here. Everything on the menu looks delicious. What do you recommend?"

When a customer asks that question, it's an opportunity for the waiter to shine, to kick off the next hour together with a positive interaction. The customer is giving you a bid, and you can respond by leaning in. What ensues could lead to a lively exchange and transfer of knowledge about the juicy eats that the restaurant has to offer.

But sometimes, what happens is a frustrating impasse.

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Influence and PersuasionWes KaoFramework, Influence and Persuasion