The Washington herald., 1916-03-27
DR.. Marden's Upift Talks.
The Gentle Art of Persuasion.
BY oRIsoN SWEET MARDEN.
tCopynsht, 1861

Vopughl, 1851
When ] was editor of a big magazine
i sent an assistant to interview a young
man who had had most remarks bic
success IN the life insurance business
to get from him the secret of his rapid
rise.
When my assistant returned I asked
him II he had succeeded in getting his
interview. No." he said, but the in
surance manager got me to take out quite
a large insurance policy"
This was a triumph of the art of sales
manshfp. The insurance man actually
made his would-be interviewer forget
what he had gone after and induced him
to buy something he had not thought Of
buying. yet something which undoubtedly
II was to his advantage to buy
why is 1t that one man will so easily
change our whole mental attitude and
make us do voluntarily the very thing
that we had no idea OF doing an hour
before. and thought we never could do,
when another might have talked to US
until Doomsday about the same thing
and never changed our mind a particle?
Because he is past master of the gentle
art of persua sion.
How little we realize what a large
part persuasion plays in our life. The
clergyman, the teacher. the lawyer, the
business man. the salesman, the parent,
each is trying to persuade, TO influence,
to win over others to his way of think
ing. to his principles. to accept his ideas.
Some characters are so tactful, so
sunny, so bright, cheerful, and attractive
that they never have TO force or even
to request an entrance anywhere. The
door is flung wide open and they are
invited TO enter, just as we invite
beauty. loneliness and sunshine to enter
our mind. Their very presence has a
subtle influence in soothing and pleas
ing. They know how TO persuade almost
without uttering a word.
Persuasive power, the ability to win
others over 10 our way of thinking, our
way of looking at things, is not a simple,
but a complex, quality. il is in reality
made UP of many admirable qualities
than the head. 1t is one OF the lovsble
traits Of human nature. which enables
one to win out in many instances where
head qualities would be of no avail.
The best and most successful teachers
are not always the most learned. but
those who get hold of the hearts OF their
pupils. whose kindness, personal interest
and sympathy inspire them to do their
best. The same qualities which. apart
from scholarship, make the best teacher
also make the best business man or
woman. While education and intelligence
are indispensable nowadays, in every line
OF endeavor. it is not so much smartness.
longheadedness, cunning, as the warm
human heart qualities which make a per
son popular and successful in business
or any other field OF endeavor.
There is q sort OF hypnotic power which
passes for responsiveness. and enables a
man at the outset to influence people.
but It is not based on honesty. and in
the long run hurts his business and repU-
tation. He soon becomes known as a
"spellbinder." and people will not do
business with him.
The ability to make others think as
you DO, to see things from your point Of
view, is a tremendous power, but IL IL is
not kindly and honestly used it will prove