"The most important persuasion tool you have in your entire arsenal is integrity." --Zig Ziglar

As a teacher (and a father) it's my fervent hope to impart in my students and children the things in life that are most important which I learned the hard way. Where persuasion is concerned, this is especially the case. I'm not acting as a cop or judging or attempting to monitor my students. I am, however, hoping that the error of my ways can be avoided. A huge part of that is acting and living with integrity.

Social influence skills are powerful and it is my sincere hope that as we move forward, we do so with an application towards ethics and integrity.

Integrity and ethics go hand and hand with congruity. Being congruous is a key component of persuasion. When someone really screws up and apologizes, you can tell when they're really sorry and when they're not. You just feel it in your gut.

It is always from a place of integrity and ethics that I operate from not only because I know how powerful persuasion skills are, but because I know how powerful integrity and ethics are. My students hear a lot about integrity as I discuss it often in my coaching program. I promote it wholeheartedly because I know how important they've been in my progress as a persuader.

My belief is, that without ethics, integrity and congruity, a sales person will never rise above mediocrity.

Trustworthiness is the single most valuable perception a client can have of us as sales people. When we're in line with integrity, we are clearly and naturally trustworthy and people can see that in us.

I started living my persuasion life with total integrity and started to notice amazing things. I began drawing more of what I wanted, i.e. higher caliber clients and students, higher end mentors and coaches and teachers in my life all of whom were also trustworthy whereas previously, I was drawing less than stellar characters in my life (and suffering as a result).

Having built up that aspect of my personality, having an abundance of integrity in the bank is like having built up my 'f-you' money. I absolutely know that I can walk away from any situation which is not comfortable because I no longer "need" to take on just anyone but could be very selective in my processes. Consider the benefits of integrity in that you never have to compromise yourself again. It's an amazing feeling.

Kenrick Cleveland teaches techniques to sell to affluent clients using persuasion strategies. He runs unique public and private seminars and offers home study courses, audio/visual learning tools, and coaching programs in persuasion techniques. Find more free articles at www.MAXpersuasion.com/blog. Be sure to sign up for his free report entitled "Yes! Persuasion."