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This Is the Way Things Are

 

Techniques > General persuasion > Kellerman and Cole's 64 Strategies > This Is the Way Things Are

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

 

Description

Get people to do as you ask simply by telling them that this is the way things are and there is no other way.

Indicate that you cannot change the way things are done and nor can the target person. Point to laws, policies, statues, customs, social norms and other rule-sets whey the person must do as you say.

Example

Why? Because. It's how things are, my dearest.

It's just the way things work around here. Might as well go along with it. Everyone else does.

Sorry, but I didn't set company policy. I just have to implement it, that's all.

Discussion

In effect, this method is an authoritarian response that says 'Do not challenge me. I'm not going to let you argue.' It is also a variant of 'You can't fight city hall'. This places the point of authority in a distant, vague and inaccessible place.

Parents tired of challenges from their children often resort to this method. It is also the response of tired managers or those who cannot be bothered to explain (or perhaps do not have a good argument for asking as they do).

This Is the Way Things Are is the 57th of the 64 compliance-gaining strategies described by Kellerman and Cole.

See also

Rules

 

Kellermann, K. & Cole, T. (1994). Classifying compliance gaining messages: Taxonomic disorder and strategic confusion. Communication Theory, 1, 3-60

 

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Site Menu

| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings |

Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories |

Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help |

More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes |

Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate |

 

 

Please help and share:

 

Quick links

Disciplines

* Argument
* Brand management
* Change Management
* Coaching
* Communication
* Counseling
* Game Design
* Human Resources
* Job-finding
* Leadership
* Marketing
* Politics
* Propaganda
* Rhetoric
* Negotiation
* Psychoanalysis
* Sales
* Sociology
* Storytelling
* Teaching
* Warfare
* Workplace design

Techniques

* Assertiveness
* Body language
* Change techniques
* Closing techniques
* Conversation
* Confidence tricks
* Conversion
* Creative techniques
* General techniques
* Happiness
* Hypnotism
* Interrogation
* Language
* Listening
* Negotiation tactics
* Objection handling
* Propaganda
* Problem-solving
* Public speaking
* Questioning
* Using repetition
* Resisting persuasion
* Self-development
* Sequential requests
* Storytelling
* Stress Management
* Tipping
* Using humor
* Willpower

Principles

+ Principles

Explanations

* Behaviors
* Beliefs
* Brain stuff
* Conditioning
* Coping Mechanisms
* Critical Theory
* Culture
* Decisions
* Emotions
* Evolution
* Gender
* Games
* Groups
* Habit
* Identity
* Learning
* Meaning
* Memory
* Motivation
* Models
* Needs
* Personality
* Power
* Preferences
* Research
* Relationships
* SIFT Model
* Social Research
* Stress
* Trust
* Values

Theories

* Alphabetic list
* Theory types

And

– About
– Guest Articles
– Blog!
– Books
– Changes
– Contact
– Guestbook
– Quotes
– Students
– Webmasters

 

| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links |

© Changing Works 2002-
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