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Change the Rules

 

Techniques General persuasion > Being Right > Change the Rules

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

 

Description

If you cannot win the game, change the rules. Assert domination over what must and must not be said, how things can and must be done. Then act as referee, calling people out for breaking your new rules and allowing your own arguments as valid and truthful.

To be right, assert knowledge and control of the rules, then assumptively act as if you have the right. You may want to start by being fair so people accept you in the role. Subtly make a rule that only you can change the rules. Make sure there is no way you can be challenged. Then you can change the rules at will.

Sometimes you can just change the rules on the fly. Use force of personality to grab control and change the rules before people realize what is going on.

Example

Sorry, it's too late to change things now. New input will be welcome next time, but now we need to vote on this.

You can't say that.

We have to leave now.

Discussion

Most discussions and arguments are based on unwritten social rules. People generally work on the principle of everyone knowing the rules, with nobody in particular in charge. When the position of referee is hence empty, you can just step into those shoes.

When confronted with a rule-bringer, many people will simply accept their authority as they do not feel they have specific authority to change rules by themselves. The surprise of a person taking charge can slow people down enough that the rules are changed before they realize what is happening.

See also

Creating Truth

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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-
Massive Content — Maximum Speed