Winning Others To Your Way Of Thinking.
Influence, Persuasion and Debate.
HOW TO WIN PEOPLE TO YOUR WAY OF THINKING: INFLUENCE, PERSUASION & DEBATE
Practical, ethical influence skills to win buy-in, handle objections, and persuade groups with confidence
Duration: Monday to Thursday 09:00–14:00,
Friday 09:00–12:00
Location: Central London
The British Academy of Professional Development
$5,500
COURSE OVERVIEW
HOW TO WIN PEOPLE TO YOUR WAY OF THINKING: INFLUENCE, PERSUASION & DEBATE is a transformative 5-day programme for professionals, managers, and leaders who need to win support for ideas, secure stakeholder buy-in, and influence decisions without relying on authority. In today’s workplace, the best ideas do not automatically win — the clearest, most credible, and most persuasive communicators do.
This comprehensive course develops the practical skills that sit behind ethical persuasion: building credibility quickly, structuring arguments that land, using evidence and emotion appropriately, handling objections calmly, and influencing groups in meetings where priorities compete and resistance is real. Participants will move beyond traditional communication training by practising real influence scenarios: selling an idea internally, persuading a sceptical stakeholder, debating competing options, and guiding a group towards a decision.
The outcome is stronger executive presence, sharper reasoning, and the ability to persuade with confidence while protecting relationships — supporting sustainable organisational excellence.
Target Audience: Senior leaders, executives, and managers who want to strengthen influence and persuasion, win buy-in for ideas, and communicate with authority in high-stakes meetings and debates.
Duration: Monday to Thursday 09:00–14:00, Friday 09:00–12:00
Location: Central London
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this programme, participants will be able to:
Build credibility and trust quickly to increase influence with stakeholders and groups
Structure persuasive arguments using clear logic, evidence, and compelling framing
Handle objections and resistance with calm, confident responses that protect relationships
Influence groups in meetings by guiding discussion, managing dynamics, and securing decisions
Create a personal influence and persuasion development plan with implementation strategies for sustained impact
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The Foundations of Influence and Ethical Persuasion
Understanding influence: why ideas win or lose in organisations
Credibility and trust: how to establish authority without arrogance
Audience analysis: what different stakeholders care about and why
Persuasion ethics: influencing without manipulation or coercion
Baseline assessment: personal influence profile and goals for the week
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Clarity first: turning complex ideas into a compelling core message
Argument structure: claims, evidence, reasoning, and impact
Framing and positioning: making your idea feel obvious, urgent, and valuable
Using data persuasively: making numbers meaningful and decision-ready
Practice lab: building a persuasive case for a real workplace idea
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Diagnosing objections: surface concerns vs the real issue underneath
Staying composed: emotional control under challenge and pushback
Response frameworks: acknowledge, clarify, reframe, and propose
Handling sceptical stakeholders: credibility repair and confidence under scrutiny
Practice lab: objection role-plays and high-pressure Q&A
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Debate fundamentals: reasoning, rebuttal, and respectful challenge
Persuading groups: aligning interests and building coalition support
Managing meeting dynamics: dominant voices, silence, and conflict
Decision influence: guiding discussion to outcomes and commitments
Practice lab: structured debate and group persuasion simulations
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Internal selling: pitching ideas to senior leaders, boards, and committees
Story + logic: combining evidence with narrative for maximum impact
Executive presence under pressure: voice, pace, and non-verbal influence
Personal influence development planning
Implementation strategies: 30–60–90 day actions, metrics, and accountability