Influence training for government
Get the public, partners and your own staff to act on the plan.
Every policy, program and reform depends on people choosing to act: the public, partner agencies and your own staff. Influence training gives public servants more than 40 years of research on how that cooperation is earned, ethically and in the open.
What it helps you do
Help your people bring the public, partners and colleagues on board.
Public work runs on cooperation you can't order. Influence training gives managers and front-line staff one shared, ethical approach, through workshops, online learning and coaches on your own staff.
Backed by more than 40 years of research, it helps public servants:
Get people to act on what they already understand
Most people know they should file on time, show up or follow the guidance. Social proof and commitment help close the distance between knowing and doing.
Explain a change so people accept it
How a policy is first described shapes how it is received. Authority and liking help your people explain changes clearly and be believed.
Lead without relying on rank
Public managers often can't offer raises or bonuses. Unity and reciprocity help them build teams that pull together around a shared mission.
Recognize manipulation
Public servants face pressure from vendors, interest groups and scammers. Knowing how influence works helps them spot manipulation before it shapes a decision.
Who we've worked with
Government bodies, armed forces and universities have trained with the Institute.
Our clients in government, defense and academia include:
- NATO
- U.S. Air Force
- U.S. Department of Justice
- Federal Executive Institute
- Harvard University
- London School of Economics
The research
Where the research comes from.
The research comes from watching people make real decisions.
For more than 40 years, Dr. Robert Cialdini studied why people agree to some requests and refuse others. His books have sold more than 12 million copies in 52 languages.
That research found seven principles of influence: reciprocity, liking, social proof, authority, scarcity, commitment and consistency, and unity.
Each one works only when it is true, which is why public servants can use them openly and explain them to the people they serve.
“Dr. Cialdini’s book was the foundation for much of what we spearheaded in the FBI that moved professional negotiators towards becoming crisis interveners. We copied very heavily from Cialdini’s book. We looked at ways people gain influence with another and it is all about relationship building, earning trust and demonstrating a genuine interest in their issues and concerns.”
Gary NoesnerFBI Negotiator & Author
“It was a very valuable program where I learned practical tools and techniques to persuade others either in professional or personal life. The principles taught are very well structured.”
Adeline MakSenior Curriculum Designer, Ministry of Manpower
“I want to express my appreciation for your excellent presentation at The Forum on Executive Decision Making and Influence… the audience was composed entirely of senior executives from major U.S. and Canadian companies… The evaluations were in the ’excellent‘ range and you received more mentions as ’The part of the program I liked most‘ than any other speaker — quite an accomplishment given the competition!”
Sherman RobertsDirector of Executive Seminars, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Programs
Ready-made programs for public sector teams.
Send people to a public workshop, or bring the training to your agency, and give every person the same approach to influence.
The POP® workshop
Two days on the seven principles, at your offices and led by a CMCT, or at the public workshop in Atlanta on March 11 and 12, 2027. About the POP® workshop
The Cialdini Method
Online and self-paced, $1,497, so staff in any location learn the same approach. Each person who completes it earns the Cialdini Certified Practitioner certificate. See The Cialdini Method
Coaches on your staff
Certified Influence Coaches on your staff lead a ready-made 90-minute session for new teams. About the coach program
Go deeper
Read how influence works in public life.
Questions
Before you talk to us.
Yes. Every principle we teach works only when it is true, so your people can explain what they are doing to the public they serve. They also learn to recognize manipulation aimed at them.
The Cialdini Method is $1,497 per person, with a 7-day full refund. Programs for an agency are priced in a proposal, based on the number of people, the format and the timeline.
The Cialdini Method is online and self-paced, so everyone learns the same approach wherever they are. The two-day POP® workshop can run at one of your sites.
Yes. Train one team or leadership group first, look at what changed, then decide on the rest.
Talk to us about your agency.
Tell us what your people need others to agree to. Fill in the form and the Institute will get back to you about what fits.