The Rules of People

RULE 62

People generally agree with themselves

People are much more likely to go along with you if you do things their way. I realise that doesn’t always suit you, but it’s important to recognise it. Once someone has proposed – or even overtly backed – an idea, it’s much harder for them to work against it. They’ll lose face if it doesn’t work out, so it’s in their interests to buy into it.

Sometimes you’ll be pleased, impressed, convinced, taken with someone else’s idea and happy to do things their way. Excellent. Other times you find yourself at loggerheads with someone, and you can see that if you push your approach through regardless, they simply won’t co-operate. They might even try to undermine you, to prove their point that your way ...