The 7 worst influence mistakes we all make from time to time

When we are trying to convince another person of something, we obviously want to do and say the right things.

But doing and saying the right things also means that we must avoid saying the wrong things.

We want to make an effort to build trust and rapport, when we persuade, but it’s important to keep in mind that this trust and rapport can easily be broken — especially in the early stages of a conversation.

Let’s look at seven phrases you want to avoid at all costs:

1. ‘You’re wrong’

No one likes to be told they’re wrong. If we have an incorrect conclusion, or we’re basing our judgment on faulty data that’s different.

We need to approach this with care however, and instead we want to express understanding for the other person’s point of view, and understand how they might have arrived at their conclusion.

This means that instead of telling them directly that they’re wrong — a sentence that is bound to offend even the most good-spirited person — we can ask questions such as: