Conviction is the fruit of effective influence. To effectively influence someone, you need to send signals on three levels. All people pick up these signals, even though they may not know they do. What are these signals, and how do they work?

Regardless of how complex communication, teaching, selling, conflict or any form of human interaction may be, it always consists of three basic elements. And these elements are the solution to how we can find, reach and inspire each other.

The process always begins inside with "inner conviction". Then it extends to include other people through "shared conviction". Once we truly and humbly understand each other, then channels of external inspiration are opened to "discovered conviction". It's only when these convictions are in place that we come close to reaching our full interdependent potential.

				PASSION: Inner Conviction Inner conviction precedes all else. To convince others you first need to be truly convinced yourself. Inner conviction is evidenced by "the heart being on fire" (PASSION).
				CONNECTION: Shared Conviction Once the heart is right, other hearts may be reached. The purpose of shared conviction is to establish an atmosphere of trust. Shared conviction is evidenced by hearts and minds being knit together, and you can feel it (CONNECTION).
				INTUITION: Discovered Conviction To reach true commitment it is not enough to understand each other. Understanding and connecting is merely the means to an end; to create something new. Through hard and patient interactive labor people sometimes tap into intuitive powers. When their talents and abilities are joined they can make groundbreaking discoveries, which is evidence of discovered conviction (INTUITION).

Passion, Connection and Intuition are each channels through which we send signals to those around us. Only as strong, clean and in sync these signals are will we find true and solid conviction; conviction that is:

1. deeply rooted inside
2. altruistically shared and
3. emotionally owned through the experience of mutual discovery.

That's when a message has power!

						It's what you communicate between the lines that becomes the message. The people around you do not pick up what you say, but rather what you have deep inside. Indeed "we're spilling our guts all the time". If you're unaware of your own feelings and emotions, you're also unconsciously communicating what you didn't want to.

Everything you do - even some of what you say - carries signals between the lines and leaves indelible impressions. Maybe your intention was convincing someone of something, but more than reaching that someone with those convincing arguments, you always pass on to them "who you are". Every type of interaction during the day - every day - is simply constant branding of ourselves to our surroundings. Yes, whether we like it or not.'

The world around us does mostly not perceive us the way we view ourselves. Just think about last time you saw yourself on television. Was it awkward? And you know why, right? What can we do to send out what we need to communicate, and how can we make sure people indeed perceive it the way our message was intended? The answer is Passion - Connection - Intuition. Click any of the links to begin a fascinating journey discovering what influence is all about.

Principles are often best shared by means of a story or analogy. Here's one that offers depth to the value of individuals and how the fruits of networking are but a fringe benefit of what really matters: Caring for others!

Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down upon him; this soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but what I may be able to do you a turn some of these days?" The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw and let him go.

Some time after the Lion was caught in a trap. Tied down by strong ropes the Mouse heard the Lion's roar. Coming to its rescue and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was, immediately it went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts.

When freed, the Mouse said to the Lion: "You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, expecting to receive from me no repayment for your favor; now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to con benefits on a Lion."

From a sales perspective, Aesop provides us with a great number of lessons. Some of these may be:

• Never abuse power when you are in a position to do so. Only realize your position allows you to offer mercy you yourself need more than whoever you are offering it to.

• Never be intimidated by the power or authority of others. Only realize that some time in the future roles may be reversed.

• People have value regardless of who they are. Positions have no impact on success in the long run,

• ...but you never know who's who around the next bend.

• Ignore every indication of relative importance among humans,

• ...but maintain a clear view of how the world around you perceives rank and importance.

It is when you rise above, that you begin to grow your ability to influence influential people, becoming one yourself.

I found a charming multimedia presentation on the Lion and the mouse fable. Maybe you'll enjoy it as much as I did?

"I can't help it, that's just how I feel..." Well, that's not good enough! You are in charge, even in charge of your feelings. That may sound harsh, but being in charge of your feelings in large measure decides how successful you are.

Yes, I know. Feelings can't be helped. Sometimes they just come, don't they? In fact, they pretty much do so all the time. Of course there's no simple answer. However, maybe we're not so much a victim of feelings after all?!

Feelings and emotions are a direct result of how we perceive the world around us. For instance, let's say a colleague turns to you and says: "Aren't you turning a little fat and out of shape?" Would that trigger feelings? What if there was a way to filter and help us steer those feelings in a desired direction even before any type of stimulus is allowed to trigger them?

Any type of stimulus is a form of energy							We have good news for you. Such a filter does exist. It's readily available to us. All we have to do is apply it. For the sake of keeping it simple we've divided the subject into three parts. There are three different types of stimuli that trigger feelings and emotions. We call these stimuli "sources of energy". Every kind of stimulus is a form of energy. Had it not been energy, it would not have reached us in the first place.

Energy can be witnessed all around us, but most energy (if not all) is invisible. Invisible or not, these energies broadcast their messages to us through what we might call channels. Let's briefly consider each of these three groups of channels.

Passion

Passion is energy from within. The first channel through which we receive inbound energy and powerful stimulus is from the inside and ourselves. One example of this kind of energy could be "self talk". All of us have a constant conversation going with ourselves. What messages are you giving yourself? Is there a way to filter self talk and be in charge?

Connection

Connection is energy from others. Another channel through which we receive energy is from the people around us. Did you ever distinguish between so-called good and bad vibes from someone? Of course you did. Having a conversation with any person allows us to pick up signals, but a lot of times we misinterpret them. What kind of stimulus are you experiencing from other people? Are you always correct in your interpretation of what they're passing on? And for that matter, do you think they always consciously know what signals the sending you?

Intuition

Intuition is energy from other sources. Maybe a largely underestimated channel is the stimulus we receive from undefined and unknown sources. Did you ever experience a sudden but powerful impression? How does it feel when a groundbreaking idea just hits your brain. Just the fact that it can leave as quickly as it came appears to me as evidence that it's indeed from the outside. Did you ever sense that there is more than just ourselves and the people around us that influences us?

Pick any book on sales, influence, communication, negotiation or even "success" in general, and you'll see that it's about at least one of these three channels. 3E is about mastering all three channels of influence.

Do you want to know how each of these can give you greater control of your emotional life? Do you want to know how they influence the people around you - your family, colleagues, customers? Passion, Connection and Intuition work both ways. That's when the subject gets interesting! Make sure to subscribe to this blog and read my comments about each of those channels coming soon.

Much has been written about success, maybe almost to an excess, thus possibly making "success" unclear and difficult. Is there not a way to keep it short and to the point? There is! This blog post answers - simply - those two questions sought after by so many: 1) What is success, and 2) what does it take to be successful?

What is success?

The core of success is threefold:

1. Discovering what you want - PASSION
2. Consistently working with others to get it - CONNECTION
3. Refining skills and application of principles to adjust to reality - INTUITION

When applied, each step quickly becomes a cyclical pattern that ever brings us to higher levels. Once you've visited each of them, maybe step 1 transforms into "discovering what you should want", step 2 into "working with others to get what they want" and step 3 into realising that you actually "enjoy the journey of development itself" ...and so it keeps lifting you and those around you to higher, continually greater, satisfaction and self awareness.

Whoever is rich, famous or even dramatically gifted may not be successful at all! Success is a process, not a final destination. Thus, people may find sudden superfluous "success" without the required process, only to find neither the happiness nor the satifsfaction they expected.

And here's the icing on the cake: Success becomes increasingly more generic the more you experience it. We gradually sense that the essence of success looms much higher than money and "the things of this world". Ultimately, success is freedom from external conditions and is more a feeling and awareness than anything else. Wealth may be, and sometimes is, an outward expression of something that was created inside long before it became visible on the outside.

Interestingly, not only do Passion, Connection and Intuition define success. Passion, Connection and Intuition also explain how we can be successful.

What does it take to have success?

PASSION

More important than anything else is an inside drive to withstand opposition and natural tendencies. When you decide to have success (in any specified way) you're instantly faced with breaking out of old patterns. Passion helps you stay at it!

CONNECTION

We need to find individuals that not only can help pull us in the right direction, but who also care about us enough that they actually will. The world is interdependent and there's no other way than to succeed with others. Connection binds us together!

INTUITION

Success does not immediately pay off. This is the nature of big worthwhile achievements. It takes time! Doing small and simple yet significant daily actions takes discipline. Acquiring skills takes discipline, and discipline takes skill. However, listening to the inside voice is ultimately what really makes the leap to tipping-point results. It's knowing that you didn't do it on your own - not even together with others. Intuition does exactly that!

Conclusion

Success is best summarized in three words: Passion, Connection, Intuition. They tell us both what success is and how it can be achieved.

PASSION is energy coming from the inside. CONNECTION is energy shared between us. INTUITION is energy coming from the outside and the unknown.

Passion, Connection and Intuition are each a type of energy - they are the 3 Energies (3E). 3E is what success is all about. In this setting they are especially applied to sales and influence, but eventually they apply to every aspect of life.

Success - keep it simple!

What you say, how you say it and when you say it is extremely important in sales. However, words and even details mean next to nothing if you don't understand what gives them power and meaning. Effective Influence is balancing three dialogs at the same time. Here's when words and technique begin to have the desired effect.

Traditional sales training focuses on words and techniques. That's all good, but it will not help much if words are spoken in a weak and failing context.

Effective influence is alligning and sending out corresponding messages on three levels.

Level 1

As we can see from the illustration above, there are three levels of communication. On the first level we position ourselves and make sure that our message is relevant and important.

Level 2

With a strong position and an important message it's easier to establish a good and meaningful relationship - with the right people.

Level 3

Words are a function of feelings and emotions. We interpret other people among other things by how we feel about them. If we have positive and warm feelings for someone, communication flows naturally and understanding is high. On the other hand, if there's conflict and unresolved emotions, words have less power and the risk of misunderstanding each other increases.

It only makes sense to pay attention to words and details (the Optimal Dialog) if you've first made sure the other two dialogs are in place, i.e. nurturing mutual respect (the Operational Dialog) and building a feeling of friendship (the Opinional Dialog).