Should entrepreneurs be master manipulators?by Derek Lidow Manipulation has a bad rap. Nobody likes being on the receiving end of manipulative behaviors like bullying, name calling, passive aggression and the like. Or the more seductive and insidious forms of manipulation that we associate with used-car salesmen, political demagogues and Russian operatives on Facebook. But leaders and entrepreneurs who scrupulously avoid being manipulative can unnecessarily limit their effectiveness. For leaders, the question should not be whether to manipulate, but rather to what end. Manipulation can be a powerful tool for getting people to act in their best interest. The state of New York ran a highly manipulative series of anti-smoking public service announcements (PSAs) that vividly depict the suffering that smokers could expect. An anti-littering music video created entirely by fourth graders charmed viewers into doing the right thing. Or how this PSA uses techniques of personalization and simple storytelling to discourage drunk driving. Each of these videos is manipulative in its own way, but only a misanthrope would object to their intentions. In sprint 9 we describe how communication is our most important relationship tool and good communications requires the accurate transfer of information AND emotions to someone else. At its core, manipulation is the use of emotions to get another person or group to act as desired by the manipulator. Because we remember ideas and concepts better when they are attached to emotional experiences, great teachers often use manipulation to get their students to want to learn and to remember their lessons. For example, MBA students are fed a steady diet of highly manipulative case studies adapted from real situations. These narratives, which are over-simplified descriptions of what actually happened, are written to spark specific emotional conversations that induce students to adopt habits of mind that they can rely on throughout their business careers. About 100 years ago, advertising and public relations professionals started to advocate using manipulative techniques to get customers to buy things. They proved very successful in growing revenues and reputations for their clients so the stigma of using manipulation in marketing materials has mostly worn off. Today, we expect advertising to not be boring, which means we WANT to be manipulated by it. Social media influencers tell their personal stories in such ways that viewers desire to be like them – and therefore mimic their use of products. A subset of entrepreneurs employ manipulations to get us to buy things we do not need. Think about times when you have bought things you regretted. Or, think about the times you got so frustrated by trying to cancel a subscription that you abandoned your effort. Scammers use fear or the joy of getting lucky to get people to do things contrary directly opposed to their best interest, such as investing in fraudulent schemes. Some highly ethical leaders, fear manipulating those around them, and forgo otherwise highly persuasive tools. Leaders who shy away from manipulation often default to what is called fact-based decision making. In the real world, we must address most problems without having all the facts. Most problems are impossible to describe entirely with facts. These are technically known as “wicked problems” and include issues like interpersonal conflicts, economic conditions, changing fashions, as well as income inequality, poverty, environmental and natural resources policy. Understanding emotions and how to change emotions are far more powerful skill sets for dealing with these issues than any deep set of knowledge. We note that we use manipulative techniques sparingly on our The Entrepreneurs platform. As we focus on delivering factual insights to be used immediately to make choices, we do not need to attach additional emotions to the pressures aspiring and practicing entrepreneurs already feel. When our sprints and quick tips work, they relieve pressure and give our users extra confidence to make good decisions about what to do next, thereby ensuring they will be remembered. Because we use manipulation only sparingly doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Next week we will focus on the role of vision in creating good manipulation. With gratitude, Derek and Ben P.S. If you like what we’re doing, please consider recommending this newsletter to another person you think would benefit from us. It really helps us build out our free content platform.
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