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dominick · 07-15-2009, 08:49 AM

I've become very interested lately in the notion of "changing the frame." The more that I experience life the more that I see in many social interactions that one person is selling to the other. For instance, in business it's very easy to tell who is selling to who by the way people interact. Subordinates almost always "sell" to their boss. Salespeople almost always "sell" to their clients.

Where it gets interesting is when the sell relationship is not clearly defined. For example, imagine a CEO interviewing a high-level executive while simultaneously pitching her on why she should join his company. He is trying to sell her on what the company is good but at the same time she is selling him on why she could be the right person to hire.

In those situations the relationship is rarely equal. Almost always one person is selling the other person and the person being sold usually has the most power regardless of the existing hierarchy. Let's say that person joins the company but after a few months is thinking about quitting. At that point the CEO, even though he is her superior, will likely sell the exec on why she should stay.

OK, that's a long-winded way to say I'm really curious how people get good at shifting the frame and being able to get the other person to sell to them. It's one thing if you have natural points of leverage. However, what if you don't? Imagine Leo in Catch Me If You Can. How does he sell other people on who he is when he actually doesn't have much/anything to back it up?

It seems it's a combination of body language, conviction, charisma and probably a host of intangible things. I'd love to hear thoughts on this. And I definitely see how this skill could be used for good or evil. I intend to use it for good and am really curious what other examples there are out there of incredible frame-changers.

07-15-2009, 08:49 AM	#1 (permalink)
dominick Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 69	Changing the Frame I've become very interested lately in the notion of "changing the frame." The more that I experience life the more that I see in many social interactions that one person is selling to the other. For instance, in business it's very easy to tell who is selling to who by the way people interact. Subordinates almost always "sell" to their boss. Salespeople almost always "sell" to their clients. Where it gets interesting is when the sell relationship is not clearly defined. For example, imagine a CEO interviewing a high-level executive while simultaneously pitching her on why she should join his company. He is trying to sell her on what the company is good but at the same time she is selling him on why she could be the right person to hire. In those situations the relationship is rarely equal. Almost always one person is selling the other person and the person being sold usually has the most power regardless of the existing hierarchy. Let's say that person joins the company but after a few months is thinking about quitting. At that point the CEO, even though he is her superior, will likely sell the exec on why she should stay. OK, that's a long-winded way to say I'm really curious how people get good at shifting the frame and being able to get the other person to sell to them. It's one thing if you have natural points of leverage. However, what if you don't? Imagine Leo in Catch Me If You Can. How does he sell other people on who he is when he actually doesn't have much/anything to back it up? It seems it's a combination of body language, conviction, charisma and probably a host of intangible things. I'd love to hear thoughts on this. And I definitely see how this skill could be used for good or evil. I intend to use it for good and am really curious what other examples there are out there of incredible frame-changers.