Because I Said So!

We hear a lot about the words please and thank you. We know how cogent and efficacious these words can be.

And we know that words matter.

But, as described in a chapter titled "Which single word will strengthen your persuasion techniques?" guess what that word is?

Because.

Yes, because.

Let me explain before you think the parental saw "because I said so" is the way to go.

In Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive by Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin, and Robert B. Cialdini (his name gets bigger letters), the authors cite multiple experiments and studies on what gets people to go along with things.

It was fun to read. I breezed through the whole book, footnotes and all. Figured it might help me in work and in life.I can use help. Can't you?

Anyway, Chapter 35 out of the 50 scientifically-proven-ways chapters points out that a request accompanied by the word because, followed by an actual reason, brings more results (within limits) than not doing that.

This is not shocking.

In my own experience, I know that a resume or a proposal backed up by real data is powerful stuff.

How come no one told me this while dating in my teenage years?

I'l leave that one alone because it would cause me layers of embarrassment.