The Vault: The Dark Art of Persuasion

This way back Wednesday is from 6 JUNE 2016 via LinkedIn.

The Dark Art of Persuasion

Sports are supposed to be our getaway from our lives, right? Well how often do you think about the people both known and behind the scenes trying to bring it to you? Chances are you don't. So it has to be an inside job, like government officials, where jobs are given to their allied cronies, doesn't it? Wrong again, at least in part. One of the things you'll hear most is to make connections. But this can only take you so far - and I'm not talking just about doing the hard work yourself to stand out. Let me explain.

Think about what you're supposed to do with these connections. It would be a good idea to ask yourself why you know the expertise of these persons and how your relationship is with them. It doesn't have to be tight per se, but at least on good terms. But for the sake of getting ahead, I know that it isn't enough and never was. Here's why, sports business is often like the political arena, is it not? That's a rhetorical question. However, a serious one at that. This is especially true at the Division I level of the NCAA. The myriad of people that have complained about certain policies and procedural structuring have among hearing my opinion and suggest in all seriousness "why don't you try to crack the national office" (and more recently FIFA) - and perhaps I should. In time, I'll consider.

Suppose I do make it to Indianapolis and get my shot at the NCAA offices. Then what - where will my connections take me. I need to up my game, get on a new level. That's where my self-proclaimed old-world philosophy kicks in. It isn't about having said connections anymore - it's about persuading them: the most difficult thing in sport, especially politics, to do. If I have an idea, I can't just pitch it to the appropriate governing board. I have to lobby it on the floor amongst my colleagues to invest in what I have to say, enough so that they will vote in favor of my referendum. It's a simple concept, but it's not easy.

This is not your mom-and-pop, English class public speaking persuasion essay - oh no. This is well beyond that. Magnified a thousand times, if you will. Persuasion is an art in at least this industry, just like the industry it represents. Sports are supposed to be a spectacle. And even that part requires persuasion for supporters to choose a franchise to call their own. They barrack but also try to get other fans either in from un-affiliation or convert fans of other franchises. That in itself is very different from the persuasion that happens in the war rooms and other areas of a front office or conference room.

We can break that down further: micro-persuasion and macro-persuasion, the former geared more towards intra-organizational operations as opposed to even multinational operations across multiple industries with the latter. The big key with those is that micro-persuasion must come before macro-persuasion. For instance, when a board of governors decides if rules need to be changed, they must first agree whether or not it is necessary then (if so) determine what changes to make and then how to implement them - micro-persuasion. Once those and other variables are agreed upon, we then have to test them which affects the playing contingent and coaching staff which gets viewed by the public on national or local television who then get to voice their (seemingly) ignored opinions - macro-persuasion.

Take it from someone who has officiated sports. It is the most ridiculed job in sports but also the most revered. We know officials make mistakes here and there in small quantity at a time (usually). We know they do make a genuine effort to get it right (most of us). But what is our real number one listing in the job description - it's actually three things. Enhance safety of those involved as best as possible, do your best to make the call, and sell the call. The last of those has a few different reasons. One is that you can confer with other officials if need be (or replays at professional levels). Also, there is leaving it behind you if you did get it wrong and move on to the next call. On top of that, whether right or wrong, if you sell the call (regardless of the prior two reasons), the call stands and it makes you look confident in your call that you can own up to a missed call later despite what teams or supporters may think.

So if I make my connections buy into my propositions, then I can get far and succeed in my endeavors among an organization? Well, it's not guaranteed, but you'll have enhanced your chances to succeed dramatically. You don't need numbers or facts to tell you this, only because persuasion is so powerful that if you add a single grain of sand to one side of a balancing scale that the scale will tip to one side. Anything is possible with persuasion. If you want no part of sport politics, I don't envy you. But because of the societal impact it has, it is (I suppose) a necessary evil.  Whether a filibuster or just a genuine lack of supporting evidence, stating your case needs the help of the influence you have on your colleagues in this business. Don't get caught being the fish out of water because, remember, the power of persuasion is a most dangerous game.