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

Throwaway Comments Aren’t, Really

Throwaway Comments Aren’t, Really

This is the third installment in a series on Irrational Habits, the very human stuff that messes with our desired outcomes. So far, we’ve covered eclipsing outcomes with feelings and crowdsourcing discontent. Let’s talk about another common habit: using broad,...

Stop Telling Women They Lack Confidence

Stop Telling Women They Lack Confidence

During a panel about women and entrepreneurship, a male investor fawned a bit about how much he prefers women leaders. He said we work harder, smarter, and get more results. He then lamented that the only problem with women is our lack of confidence, that it holds us...

Interviews Should Look Out

Interviews Should Look Out

“I wish I would have known, during the interview, what it took me four weeks to figure out,” Harper exhaled, plopping into a chair in my office. After four weeks of investment in developing a new team member, it had become clear to Harper that they were not right for...