---
name: baojie/persuasion-methodology
source: https://app.decimal.ai/s/baojie-persuasion-methodology@1/SKILL.md
source_sha256: ee890bd91332
---

# Persuasion Methodology (from Han Fei's "Shuonan")

## Overview
A systematic approach to persuading rulers by understanding their hidden motivations and avoiding dangerous pitfalls.

## Key Principles

### 1. Know the Listener's Heart
- The difficulty lies not in knowledge or eloquence, but in understanding what the listener truly wants
- Distinguish between stated goals and actual desires

### 2. Match Your Message to Their Motivation
- **If they seek fame**: Speaking of profit will seem lowly and get you rejected
- **If they seek profit**: Speaking of fame will seem impractical and distant
- **If they secretly want profit but publicly pursue fame**: They will outwardly accept but privately distance from fame-focused arguments; they will secretly use but publicly reject profit-focused arguments

### 3. Avoid Dangerous Situations
- Revealing secrets they want hidden → danger
- Pointing out their faults too directly → danger
- Sharing credit for their plans → danger
- Forcing them to do what they refuse → danger

### 4. Navigate Perception Risks
- Discussing powerful officials → accused of sowing discord
- Discussing minor officials → accused of seeking power
- Praising those they love → accused of currying favor
- Criticizing those they hate → accused of testing them
- Being too brief → accused of ignorance
- Being too elaborate → accused of wasting time

### 5. Build Trust Before Speaking Boldly
- Wait for deep familiarity and trust to develop
- Only then can you speak of important matters without offense

## Expected Outcome
Successful persuasion that advances your position while maintaining the ruler's favor.

## Validation
1. Verify you have correctly identified the listener's true motivation (fame vs. profit vs. secretly-one-publicly-other) before crafting your argument
2. Confirm your message avoids all five danger zones: revealing secrets, pointing out faults, sharing credit, forcing refusals, and perception traps
3. Assess whether sufficient trust has been established — if the relationship is still shallow, delay bold counsel regardless of urgency