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Persuasive Uncertainty
March 2, 2011
To change one's life: Start immediately. Do it flamboyantly. No exceptions.
-William James
-William James
In the most recent issue of Harvard Business Review (March 2011), Zachary Tormala shares the result of his research that indicates "when experts express uncertainty about their opinions, people find them more compelling."
Tormala suggests that this surprising finding is the result of a phenomenon called "expectation violations." He explains, "People expect experts to be confident. Violations of that expectation surprise them... A surprise draws you in and makes you pay more attention. It gives your advice more impact."
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Comments (4)
Displaying All 4 CommentsMidwest city, Ok, United States
As long as people don't pretend that they don't know when they are actually an expert on it, girls and women have lived long enough under that dogma. Second opinions are always highly valued.
Eugene, OR, United States
@ Diana Khanagov: Most issues are complex enough I believe any honest thinker wouldn't need to pretend that there's some uncertainty. I think acknowledging that is not just unsettling ("expectation violation"). It also shows both openness and higher level thinking, which one would hopefully want in an expert.
Eugene, OR, United States
I forwarded today's EED to several colleagues who are working with me on a local education funding campaign, and the feedback was instantaneous. Tormala offers much appreciated perspective for those of us wrapped up in trying to convince our community to fund education!
Midwest city, Ok, United States
Does Tormala give the impression that one should pretend to be uncertain about their opinions in order to make themselves more compelling?
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