Duplicity in Influence is a Bad Strategy – Allegory Inc.
Contact

Learning Resources

Articles

< All Articles

Duplicity in Influence is a Bad Strategy

By Christina Harbridge
hand raised

Click Bait Cartoon via cartoonsbyJim

Am I alone in being exhausted/annoyed by headlines these days?

I want to stick a needle in my eye.

  • CRUZ PUNCHES WIFE IN THE FACE
    No, he didn’t. I don’t like the guy, everyone knows this, yet the dude is awkward and went to hug his dad and accidentally… UGH
  • CURRY MAY NEVER PLAY BASKETBALL AGAIN
    Seriously? I MAY become queen someday because I am a woman and, well, anything is possible right? C’mon. UGH.
  • INFLUENCE backed by SCIENCE
    Humans are irrational and emotional. There is no science when it comes to influence. Your article has ideas that are not science at all. UGH

These types of headlines may get a person to click on the story and I guess that is the initial goal. Yet, we reduce our brand with people when we DUPE them.

Duping is a bad strategy and this is especially true with conversations. Any influence strategy that includes duping may have an initial gain, they may take the bait. But, you may lose an important tool in influence: future listening and trust. Influence gets reduced when we use fakery to get what we want.

Join our Email List

More Articles

Do you crowdsource discontent?

Do you crowdsource discontent?

Meet the second irrational habit in a series about several. There is a low-value, highly draining habit that distracts from what matters most in organizations, even though it may feel helpful (or at worst neutral). It is so common as to seem unremarkable: talking...

3 Hacks to Increase Influence Online

3 Hacks to Increase Influence Online

Photo by Ryan McGuire How we say things online can impact how much we influence commitment in others offline. Communication is tricky business. It’s hard enough to ask for what you want in person, but when you add in the complications from the varied ways we...

Presentation Feedback That Isn’t

Presentation Feedback That Isn’t

Photo by Marcos Luiz Photograph on Unsplash It happens a lot. I watch someone, often a woman, absolutely nail a presentation by doing something a bit different from the norm, something that really works for her. Immediately afterward, the speaker is besieged by people...