🦎 Talk to the Lizard: How to Persuade the Irrational Mind đź§
When it comes to persuasion, there's an unseen force at work that often goes unnoticed—the lizard brain. The limbic system is the “operating system” of the brain. It runs in the background, below the level of conscious thought, and is responsible for the autonomic, automatic processes of the body: everything from the rhythm of your heartbeat to your jump scare at the latest Conjouring movie. 👻 The limbic system is often referred to as the “reptile brain” or the “lizard brain” because evolutionarily-speaking, it’s the oldest part of the brain, and because of its rather alligator-like responses to threats. If you picture the brain like a peach cut in half, the limbic system is the pit at the center. Specifically, it’s the amygdala, the almond-sized portion of the limbic system at the bottom of the peach pit, that’s responsible for the fight, flight, or freeze response.
By contrast, the prefrontal cortex is the youngest portion of the brain. It’s the juicy and fuzzy part of the peach. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for rational thought and language. It’s the part of the brain you need to get good grades in school.
The prefrontal cortex might get you good grades, but when it comes to persuasion and motivation, the lizard brain eats the prefrontal cortex for breakfast. The limbic system reacts about a thousand times more quickly than the prefrontal cortex: a necessary evolutionary development, when you think about the speed required to successfully react to a charging saber-toothed tiger versus the speed required to contemplate the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. (Hint: it’s 42.)
It's the unconscious mind, that primal part of us, that drives our decisions. We like to think we’re rational creatures affected by emotion. We’re not. We’re emotional creatures affected by reason. More often than not, we use our powers of rationale and analysis to justify decisions we’ve already made unconsciously in the black box of the lizard brain.
Understanding this can help you persuade and influence others. James Crimmins, author of 7 Secrets of Persuasion: Leading Edge Neuromarketing Techniques to Influence Anyone, shares his insights gleaned from decades of experience in research and business. Here are his seven secrets to help you talk to the lizard:
Speak the language of the lizard: Our conscious mind (the prefrontal cortex) craves information and logic, but it's the lizard brain (the limbic system) that motivates us to act. Emotions are key—appeal to attention and powerful associations (like visuals and metaphors!) to make a lasting impact. Remember: emotion drives decision-making more than rationality.
Aim at the act, not the attitude: While changing attitudes and beliefs may seem like the goal, it's actions that truly matter. Focus on influencing behavior rather than just opinions. It's easier to change actions than deeply ingrained attitudes.
Don't change desires; fulfill them: Remember Dale Carnegie's timeless advice—focus on what people want and show them how your idea can satisfy those desires. Understand their needs and frame your message accordingly. Dial into everyone’s favorite radio station, WIIFM: What’s In It For Me.
Never ask; unearth: Closed-ended questions often yield surface-level responses. Instead, use open-ended questions to dig deeper to uncover true motivations. People may not always articulate what they want, but their actions speak volumes. Practice what Edgar Schein calls “Humble Inquiry:” sincere curiosity and non-leading questions for the purpose of truly understanding, not leading.
Focus on feeling: A vast majority of business decisions are driven by preference, not preconceived criteria. Preference drive action. Understanding people’s preferences helps you map how your idea aligns with their values, and ultimately the behaviors and changes they want in their organization. For example, “You want your team to feel more empowered to make decisions independently, but before they can do that, they need to feel confident they can make decisions you would agree with. What if, at your next team meeting, you were to walk through how you made a decision?”
Create experience with expectation: Ask, what kind of decision is this? How will it be made? Will the leader decide, based on input and advice from their team? Or is it a decision where the team decides by consensus? Or majority vote? Or will a decision be made based on its objective merits? And most importantly, what happens if the team decides one thing, and the leader wants something else? Before the discussion begins, be clear on the experience for how the decisions will be made.
Make it visual: The fastest way to the lizard brain is through the retina. Visuals speak louder than words. Allow the data to speak for itself. When people draw their own conclusions from the data, they are automatically more invested in its meaning. And a quick sketch on a whiteboard speaks more clearly than numbers: you can help others to think with ink!
If your goal is to persuade or motivate someone to take action or make a change, practice talking to the lizard. How do you persuade others? Share your thoughts in the comments below!