Persuasion as a Policy Tool

When I ponder about policy tools and which one I believe is of most importance; I choose suasion. Trying to persuade groups or individuals to think/do a specific action or keep them from behaving a certain way is not only important; it’s a prerequisite for being successful in life. I hold suasion to be the most important policy tool because of how much weight that can transfer from leader to follower using it as conveyance. Successful leaders can direct their followers with simple incentives that alter the way someone can behave or think; the suasion tool is what seals the situation that can either sway people towards you or away. I feel that as an educator in today’s schools, our successful principals are the individuals that use this tool to their advantage that can either create unity or spark revolt. Suasion is the process of influencing someone’s behavior to either change or discourages them from thinking or committing an act. There are many examples of instances where this is tool used; from anti-smoking campaigns in health clinics to anti-junk food advertisements in today’s school cafeterias and hallways. This tool is flexible in the fact that someone can be either ‘pushed-into’ a decision or kept from making a decision based on persuasive means. Some people may not care for an incentive or any kind; they may just want to think or feel differently on subject matter; suasion can accelerate this.

If I were going to apply suasion to a problem within education, I would try to ‘activate’ today’s teens that are in high school; trying to wake them from the laziness that seems to affecting their readiness for life after high school. By effectively using suasion; high school students will become motivated to start ‘caring...

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...r types of attention-getting materials to make sure that school-wide visibility was high. This program could also be implemented at a low cost; the cost of paper for copying along with other types of low-cost material could ensure the success of school program that could be done twice a school year in the semester setting. As an administrator, you could remind your students and staff that, “a price tag cannot be placed on a successful future,” and to donate time to promoting the ideas of planning for a successful future; whether in a job or higher education for all students.

I consider suasion to be the most important policy tool because of the great influence it can be on a group or individual. If we can cause people to make certain decisions, vote a certain way, and even think differently about their wants and needs, I call that important; let alone powerful.