Concrete Experience and Reflective Observation
My experience in management and leadership at Bridgestone helped create several persuasive arguments in communication regarding ethical standards and organizational norms. It was not enough to demonstrate good skills in leading people. My goal was to achieve excellent results by demonstrating strong communication skills, developing clear standards, and monitoring the results to understand what improvements to offer. It was important to succeed in researching because this activity enhanced a better understanding of the already identified organizational clichés and rules. In the Forbes article, I found out that persuasive communication should be based on honesty when knowing myself has to be similar to knowing others at the three levels: change, involvement, and skills (Brenner, 2017). Therefore, my first argument in persuasive communication was the leader’s honesty with all the employees at different levels.
Another aspect of persuasive communication was to make sure that all ethical standards were met. In this case, Forbes became a helpful source again. Justice, respect, and shared decision-making were critical elements of leadership and communication. Forbes Coaches Council (2018) recommended new ethical methods like taking simple tests to gather employees’ opinions, attention to daily decisions but not long-term goals, and recognition of the impact of the work done. As a result, I would like to introduce one more persuasive argument based on respect on the impact I expected to make for my team and my business. Involvement activities, goal tracking, and control points were used to encourage my persuasive leadership style and communication abilities. Sometimes, it was hard for one person to observe all the changes and recognize the needs of each employee. I wanted to believe that my employees were not simply some followers but supporters and colleagues who pursued the same goals and shared their knowledge openly.
Theories and Principles/Abstract Conceptualization
In relation to the experience of a leader who chooses persuasion in communications, several theories and principles have to be identified and explained. On the one hand, this approach is necessary to use credible theoretical knowledge to prove the correctness of practical decisions. On the other hand, a theoretical framework may serve as a good guide for leaders even if they are confident in their approaches. In both cases, persuasion is able to strengthen communication, and a theoretical background cannot be ignored.
Theory 1
The theory of utilitarianism is one of the oldest and clearest approaches to persuade people in business. It states that rightness and obligations are the two critical components that can maximize values (Holmes, 2018). The author of this theory, Jeremy Bentham, underlines the worth of consequences of human actions that lead to good or bad results and appreciates the situations when the best outcomes are observed.
Theory 2
The deontological theory is another framework for ethically correct decisions and activities. Immanuel Kant introduced this theory to determine moral correctness and emphasize the importance of human duties and rights in different activities in life and business (Raj & Roy, 2016). According to Kant’s theory, people are ethically correct if they act out of duty, demonstrate the maximum of their action, and follow rationality in their decisions.
Theory 3
The cognitive consistency theory focuses on motivation and persuasion as the two critical elements in people’s actions under different conditions. It is expected to choose coherent attitudes, identify beliefs and thoughts, and evaluate behaviors and values to promote organizational development and high-quality services (Kruglanski et al., 2018). Consistency and inconsistency are the concepts that define persuasive communication that meets ethical standards and expectations.
Summary
In general, persuasion plays an important role in communication in that it can be developed by the representatives of the modern business sphere. The creation of persuasive arguments is an integral step in effective leadership and strategic management. Persuasion is not only a process but a guide for leaders to strengthen their positions and choose between available options. Theories and models introduced in different centuries help to identify the most crucial aspects of persuasion.
Testing and Application/Active Experimentation
In this project, three major theories can be used to promote persuasive communication in business organizations. My individual experience is a good chance to understand what theories and concepts have to be underlined in employee-employer relationships and make communication stronger and more effective. A leader should be not only an example for other employees to follow but possess a number of skills to persuade and prove that the chosen position is correct and appropriate. At the same time, clear, persuasive arguments have to be created to make sure that all ethical standards are met and the needs of a company are taken into consideration.
The first theory of utilitarianism properly reflects my experience as a leader and communicator. I underline that all the members of our business team should recognize their obligations and follow the rules. This way is characterized by a number of benefits, including democratic principles and objectivity in decision-making. It is not difficult to follow this theory and combine human emotions and business qualities. However, there are also several threats that have to be identified. For example, this theory contains general concepts, and not all people are ready to accept them. Happiness and rightness are not always applicable to the world of business, and I, as a leader, have to be careful in order not to cross the line between personal and professional relationships.
The second theory contains deontological principles and influences my persuasion skills in communication. It helps to ensure all team members that I respect their knowledge and experience and control the quality of performance by indicating duties and obligations. Finally, the third theory clarifies why consistency and inconsistency matter in communication. I want to believe that this theory is an obligatory tool in promoting effective persuasion as it proves that not all decisions are always right, and mistakes can be made and corrected by a properly prepared team.
References
Brenner, D. (2017). The secret to persuasive communication. Forbes. Web.
Forbes Coaches Council. (2018). 11 ways to be a more ethical leader. Forbes. Web.
Holmes, R. L. (2018). Introduction to applied ethics. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Kruglanski, A. W., Jasko, K., Milyavsky, M., Chernikova, M., Webber, D., Pierro, A., & di Santo, D. (2018). Cognitive consistency theory in social psychology: A paradigm reconsidered. Psychological Inquiry, 29(2), 45–59. Web.
Raj, S. K., & Roy, S. (2016). Accounting theory: An ethical perspective of real life scenarios. International Journal of Business and Social Research, 6(10), 47-55.