How do you persuade people? When you have an idea, how do you get others on board to help you turn it into something real? Sadly, lots of good ideas never get anywhere. How can you make sure yours do?

In 2020, one of James’ best friends was diagnosed with a fatal asbestos disease. He got it from asbestos insulation in the Canberra house he grew up in. There were 1,000 of those houses, and before he died he wanted to persuade the government to take care of victims and their families. James helped him do it. Together, they ran what one ministerial advisor called ‘the best community based campaign I’ve ever seen,’ got the attention of Health Minister Greg Hunt in the middle of COVID and, within three months, persuaded two governments, one Labor, one Liberal, to unite and change government policy. They did it by using the strategies of persuasion and influence James shares in this keynote.

Being able to persuade is an essential skill. You might have an idea at work, something you want to pitch in a meeting, or a proposal you want to excite clients and customers about. You might want to get your team fired up, persuade your boss, or even harder, one of your kids. To do it, you need to know how to persuade and influence.

In his keynote presentation James will discuss:

• How to boil a complex argument down to its essence and present a short, sharp, compelling pitch.
• How to get to the decision maker, and form a relationship of trust with them.
• How to stand in the decision maker’s shoes and work out how your proposal can be valuable to them.
• The importance of offering clear, practical solutions.
• Finding and enlisting influential supporters.

TAKE-OUTS

• Understanding the principles of persuasion and influence
• Strategies to get to, and persuade, decision makers
• Useable process to be more persuasive and influential

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