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 § ANZAI DISPATCH 938.3

HOW TO PERSUADE EVEN

BEFORE YOU SAY A SINGLE
WORD

H
ere's a question for you.

Who is the most powerful man in the

free world?

Well, it's generally accepted to be the president of the

United States of America.

Why?

Is it because he has the highest rank in the entire United

States government?

Or, is it because he's the commander-in-chief of the world's

mightiest military? After all, he has the world's biggest stash
of nuclear bombs and he can nuke any country into grovel
if he wants to.
Now, here's the thing.

When we think about power, we usually think about

physical force. That's not surprising, since it's the kind of
power that's most intuitive and obvious...

...and yet, there is a form of power that's even stronger

than physical force–soft power.

What is it?

Well, to understand what soft power is, let's look at its

opposite– power.

What's hard power?

Hard power is coercion. It's about using physical force to

compel your enemy into obedience and submission.

When you beat your enemy into surrendering to your will,

you're exerting hard power on him.
If hard power is about force and violence, soft power is the
opposite. It's the ability to get the other party to want the
outcome you desire by instead of him.

Co-option, not coercion. What does that sound like to you?

It's , right?

Now, let's revisit the earlier question. Why do you think the
president of the United States is powerful?

This may sound surprising to you, but it's true. The

president has more soft than hard power. In fact, his real
power lies in his ability to persuade, much more than his
ability to launch wars.

In fact, as Richard Elliott Neustadt once said,

The job of the president of the United States is mainly to

exercise soft power. It's about persuasion, all day long.
And here's what's even more remarkable...

. Often,
he gets what he wants even before he has to ask for it!

How does he do that, though?

Well, let's take a closer look.

Perhaps more than anyone in the world, the president has

an arsenal of persuasion assets he can use.

One of these persuasion assets is the Oval Office.

Weird as it seems, but many say that the Oval Office has its
own powers, in a mystical sort of way.

The Oval Office has been, after all, the working space for
the most powerful men in human history.

So, no matter if you love or hate the president, it's hard not
to feel humbled by its sheer majesty and rich history. Indeed,
inside this hallowed room, even the worst of the president's
critics and foes will tremble with awe and reverential fear.
Let's do a thought experiment. Imagine for a moment that
you're inside the Oval Office.

Standing alone, you're facing the president who is sitting

behind his famous oak desk.

Now, tell me. How powerful and persuasive do you feel?

Not very, right?

How about the president's power against you, you think?

Probably up to Godlike levels, yes?

And here's the most amazing thing. This happens even

before he said a single word to you.

So, here's the point I'm making–

Soft power trumps hard power.

Smart leaders know this. Throughout history,
always takes precedence over war. Because only when soft
power fails that coercion through violence is an option.

Makes sense, right?

Good. Now, let's see how this is useful in our lives. How do
you win the persuasion game even without saying a single
word?

Think of the person you want to persuade or co-opt into

your cause. The first step is simple–

If he agrees, he's implicitly admitting his lower status. He

may be unaware because this happens on the subconscious
level. He may not even know it, but his behavior and
thinking is shaped by this subordination.

And when he is in space, guess what happens? You're

now controlling his environment, and by extension, his level
of comfort.

Now, in any social setting, the most powerful is the one who
is most at ease. Therefore, by controlling your mark's
comfort level, you're controlling his power.
And here's a subtle way to control his power. If you're sitting,
make him stand. If you're letting him sit, make him sit on a
small chair.

The bottom line is this–

Every item in your space should communicate a

narrative–the narrative that he is beneath you.

Take, for example, your desk.

Physically, it is what separates you from your mark. Mentally,

it represents a barrier that he has to overcome to reach you.

And that's not all. Even how your mark to you is

symbolic of the power you have over him.

Have you ever watched the videos of Putin talking to his

minions at the onset of the Ukranian war?

Well, people joke about how he sits on 20-foot tables, and

how he had to shout for the people at the other end to hear
him.
What they don't understand is that what Putin did was a
projection of power and authority. It's a way of him saying
to the world:

Now, here's the thing. Love or hate him, there's lots to learn
about power from a tyrant and psychopath like Putin. And
here's the lesson I want you to learn today–

Construct your environment in a way that favors you.

Choose your setting thoughtfully. Every item should

communicate your power, authority, dominance and
control.

And then, let your mark come to you, in your Oval Office.

And you would have won... even before you say a single
word.
THE ANZAI PROTOCOL | SHOGUN METHOD X

© Akira Anzai. All rights reserved.