I’ve always been fascinated by how some leaders seem to breeze through negotiations and deals, walking away with precisely what they intended to secure.
Sure, you could say they have massive budgets or strong brand names at their disposal. But there’s more to the story.
In my experience—both from running a startup in my 20s and from observing the top players in business—persuasion is a learnable skill.
No one is born knowing how to pitch ideas flawlessly or rally a team to embrace a bold vision. These high-achievers study human behavior, refine their communication, and adapt to different personalities like chameleons.
If you’re aiming to sharpen your own influence, these eight tactics will give you a head start.
The best part?
Each one is grounded in insights you can practice daily, whether you’re closing a big client or just trying to rally your co-workers around a new idea.
Let’s dive right in.
01 They listen with full focus
Most people think persuasion begins the second they start talking. Top CEOs know better.
Listening effectively isn’t just about staying silent until it’s your turn to speak. It’s about picking up on the other person’s emotions, motivations, and hesitations.
This information can help you tailor your message so it resonates with them on a personal level.
I once shadowed a CEO who sat in on a crucial negotiation. He barely said a word during the first half of the meeting, letting the other side share their concerns and goals.
By the time he spoke, he already understood exactly where their roadblocks were. He used that knowledge to propose a tailored solution that sealed the deal in under ten minutes.
As Stephen Covey famously reminded us, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” It’s a lesson that sounds simple but takes genuine effort to master.
02 They build trust before they sell
Trust is the quiet force behind all forms of effective persuasion.
When people trust you, they’re far more open to hearing your pitch and acting on it. This extends beyond sales—it applies to convincing your team to adopt a new strategy, or persuading a potential partner to collaborate on a fresh venture.
CEOs with a knack for persuasion often start by demonstrating integrity and reliability, sometimes weeks or even months before the big ask. I’ve mentioned this before, but back when I was raising funds for my startup, I found that trust was a bigger deal than my pitch deck.
Investors wanted to know if I was reliable, honest, and consistent in my communication. Once they got that sense of security, the funding often followed.
As Warren Buffett has noted, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” That means you can’t just talk about trust—you have to live it.
Show up on time, keep your promises, and be transparent if issues arise.
Trust me, people will notice.
03 They frame the conversation around shared benefits
Picture this scenario: you want a colleague to collaborate on a new project.
You could say, “I want your help because it’ll make my job easier.” Or you could say, “If we combine our strengths, we’ll both create something that benefits the entire company—and we can highlight our success when promotion time comes.”
Which approach sounds more persuasive?
Top CEOs know that focusing on mutual advantages is a powerful motivator. When you highlight how a decision helps the other party—whether in terms of profits, recognition, or a simpler workflow—you shift the conversation from a competition to a collaboration.
Research supports this idea. A study published in the Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes found that people are more receptive to requests when they perceive those requests as mutually beneficial.
So, next time you’re trying to get someone on board, emphasize the win-win.
04 They communicate with clarity
There’s a reason big-time CEOs prefer clean, concise pitches over meandering speeches. Clear communication makes it easy for people to grasp your idea and envision the outcome.
A mentor once told me:
“If you can’t explain your proposal in a sentence or two, you still have homework to do.”
When you’re crystal clear, there’s less room for confusion, doubt, or misinterpretation. Plus, clarity shows confidence—you’re comfortable enough with your message to make it straightforward.
James Clear, best known for his book Atomic Habits, has said, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
Part of having a great system is ensuring your ideas are well structured and easy to digest. When you cut out fluff, you make it simpler for others to see the value you offer and act on it.
05 They tap into empathy
Empathy might seem “soft” for a boardroom, but it’s an essential element of top-level persuasion. CEOs who excel at getting deals done often do so by genuinely understanding the feelings, hopes, and fears of the people they’re dealing with.
This goes beyond just picking up on someone’s body language.
It means acknowledging where they’re coming from, validating their perspective, and, when necessary, adapting your proposal to accommodate their emotional landscape.
I had a boss who was a pro at this.
He’d spend the first 20 minutes of any meeting asking about the other person’s family or talking about their interests.
Sometimes it felt almost off-topic, but he was building an emotional bridge. By the time we got around to business, everyone felt comfortable and heard. It made negotiations smoother because people were already on the same page emotionally.
There’s also solid science behind empathy’s power.
Studies have shown that when individuals feel understood, they’re more cooperative and open to compromise — key factors in persuasion.
06 They use stories to illustrate points
Facts and figures are important, but they rarely move people on their own.
Top leaders weave data into compelling stories that spark emotion and drive action.
I remember reading about how Steve Jobs unveiled the iPod: “1,000 songs in your pocket.” He could’ve said, “a 5GB portable music player,” but that doesn’t exactly light anyone’s fire.
That simple phrase painted a vivid picture of what life would look like with the device, and it stuck.
Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why, famously observes, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” Stories speak to that “why.”
They help people visualize the impact of your proposal and imagine themselves benefiting from your solution. It’s a subtle but powerful persuasion tool that top CEOs use all the time.
07 They anticipate objections and solve them early
When I pitched my very first startup idea, I made a rookie mistake: I glossed over potential negatives in my plan, hoping no one would mention them. Turns out, that strategy fails fast in front of seasoned professionals.
Top CEOs don’t wait for others to point out weak spots.
They address objections proactively and demonstrate how they’ll mitigate risks.
Whether it’s a possible delay in shipping, a budget concern, or a staffing issue, they bring it up before anyone else does. This tactic builds credibility—it shows you’re not hiding anything and that you’ve done your homework.
Zig Ziglar once said, “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”
Part of helping others is easing their concerns before they even realize they have them.
That’s how you smooth the path to an enthusiastic “yes.”
08 They follow through on every promise
This final tactic might seem obvious, but it’s often overlooked. Great persuasion isn’t a one-off magic trick; it’s about building a track record of delivering results.
Even the slickest pitch won’t matter if, after you win people over, you fail to hold up your end.
Following through cements your reputation as a person of your word. That’s essential for any long-term business relationship. I’ve seen too many promising deals fall apart when one party overpromises and underdelivers.
Trust gets shattered, and even if you manage to patch things up, persuasion becomes tougher the next time around.
Here at Small Biz Technology, we’ve certainly seen how quickly word spreads when someone fails to make good on their commitments.
On the other hand, word also travels fast when you’re reliable and consistent.
Over time, that reliability is what keeps you at the top of other people’s lists—whether they’re seeking a business partner or a source of insightful leadership.
Wrapping things up
Persuasion isn’t merely a trick for a single meeting or pitch.
It’s a continuous process built on empathy, clarity, trust, and action. Top CEOs live by these principles, refining them with every negotiation, every pitch, and every interaction.
If you want to elevate your own persuasion game, experiment with these eight tactics.
Pay special attention to listening (really listening) and shaping your message around shared benefits.
Keep testing, tweaking, and seeing what resonates with those around you. The more you practice, the more you’ll notice how these moves start to come naturally.
Until next time, friends
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