Tara Landes | 7 Ways to Ethically Win a "YES"

🎙️ Episode Overview:

In this transformative episode of Women Choosing Growth, Tina Sue sits down with leadership and management expert Tara Landes, founder of Bellrock Benchmarking and Canada’s only certified trainer in the Cialdini Method of Ethical Influence.

Tara breaks down seven key principles of ethical influence that are reshaping how we lead teams, grow businesses, sell products, and manage change — without manipulation or gimmicks.

From using "unity" to build true partnerships to leveraging "social proof" to ease uncertainty, Tara reveals simple, science-backed shifts that create powerful, lasting impact.

If you want to become a more influential leader, seller, or communicator, this episode will arm you with tactical strategies you can apply immediately.

🔥 What You'll Learn:

The 7 core principles of ethical influence (and how to apply each one in business and life)
How system-one thinking (autopilot) drives 90% of decision-making—and how to ethically guide it
The difference between liking vs. unity and why understanding both changes relationships
Real-world business examples that show how tiny shifts can create outsized impact (like a 55% sales boost)
Why "ethical influence" is NOT manipulation — and why it's critical for modern leaders and entrepreneurs
How to weave influence principles into strategic planning, change management, and sales conversations

🧠 Notable Quotes:

"Influence isn't about tricking people — it's about ethically moving them toward a yes that benefits everyone." – Tara Landes

"You can't wait for a crisis to build trust and influence. It’s something you intentionally shape in every conversation." – Tara Landes

"Small shifts in language or approach can lead to massive shifts in behavior and results." – Tara Landes

"Leadership, sales, change management — they all succeed or fail based on how well you influence people." – Tara Landes

"If it’s good for you and good for them, it’s ethical. If it’s just good for you, it’s manipulation." – Tara Landes

🎯 Actionable Takeaways:

Start with Reciprocity: Give personalized, meaningful value before asking for anything.
Build Real Liking Quickly: Find something in common within the first 15 minutes of any conversation.
Create Unity: Shift from asking for "feedback" to asking for "advice" — making people partners, not critics.
Use Social Proof: Show what others like your audience are doing to ease uncertainty and increase buy-in.
Leverage Authority: Always highlight credentials, expertise, or experience up front (ethically).
Use Consistency to Your Advantage: Get small "yes" commitments early to naturally guide toward bigger agreements.
Tap into Scarcity Carefully: Frame opportunities around what people might miss out on — not just what they gain.