How to Get People to Do What You Want

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You need help....           editing a paper

            sanding a beat up dresser

            checking your oil

           finding a size medium in the salmon colored button up sweater

And you can’t do it on your own! That’s why there are other people on this planet. To help you. And in return you should probably do something for them. Or at least say “ ‘Preciate cha!” Anyways, we’re getting ahead of ourselves. You need help.

But sometimes people are busy themselves whether it be

writing their own paper

washing dirty laundry to put in their own dresser

test driving their own Porsche Boxter

           or already folding the chartreuse colored

           button up sweaters at the store.

They’re busy! And they have their own list of “Need Help With”.

So let’s make this easy on them and decide for them.

When you go up to said helper-to-be…

1.           Smile.

People enjoy not giving in to grumpy people. Think about it. If someone was irritable all the time and came up to you asking for help, you would probably get great pleasure out of refusing. We human beings are stubborn and don’t like the idea of letting someone who acts like they stubbed their toe 24-7 get their way. So, in order to not be this person, SMILE! It will make your help-ee feel at ease.

2.          Give a reason why you need the help.

“Hey sorry to interrupt… (this makes them feel all important like)

“…but I really need help with __blank__because…

  It’s due tomorrow

  I don’t know how to use it

  The last time I tried to do it myself it exploded

  It’s for my sister’s birthday present

(you have now placed yourself in a damsel in distress position and them in expert positions.)

And now the kicker….

3.          Say “Thank You” before they can answer.

“…Thanks! (That seals the deal. No matter how busy they are they have to help you now because you already made it look like they said yes. If they don’t help now they’ll end up looking like the big bad wolf and no one wants to end up looking like the beast that blew down the house of the hairy chinny chin chin.

And throwing all this psychology garbage out the window….

It’s polite to be polite.

So sorry to interrupt but will you help us make this world a happier place because you know way more about it than we do. Thanks!

Char and Gertie