Some people suggest that all business communication is a form of persuasion—that is, you are attempting to motivate others to think and/or do as you suggest. Others suggest that you should use persuasion only in rare circumstances. For example, in the recent Dale Carnegie Training book called The 5 Essential People Skills, the authors write the following:

It has been said that persuasion is like a savings account: The less you use it, the more you’ve got. Learn how to use your powers of persuasion well and at the appropriate moments. With time and practice, you’ll be able to have positive influence on people’s decisions in any number of areas.37 Write three or four paragraphs describing your perspectives on how often and when you should use persuasion in the workplace.