Q1) Discuss the importance of persuasion as an essential skill in a civil servant. Enlist at least five qualities that make civil servants effective agents of persuasion.

ANS

Persuasion is a technique of attitude change which deliberately targets the people to ensure either compliance or conformity so that they exhibit an attitude as desired by the persuader. The ability to persuade others for desired ethical behaviour is an important element of leadership.

The ability to persuade others help civil servants in performing their duty as:

1. Social persuasion:

a) Bringing behavioural changes in the people, improving outcomes.

E.g., improved indicators in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Tax compliance, etc.

b) Maintaining law and order.

E.g., ability of an SP to persuade agitators, religious leaders to shun violence.

c) Can aid in checking social ills.

E.g., persuasion against drugs, trafficking, illtreatment of elderlies.

2. Persuasion at workplace:

a) Ability to persuade seniors with regard to his/her vision of developmental programmes.

b) Motivate his/her team to push beyond the call of duty.

E.g., persuade the team to work in remote locations

c) Positively influence the political leadership for funds/logistics.

E.g., to increase spending on health/education.

3. National interest: Ability of diplomats to uphold the national interest.

E.g., trade talks, talks on disarmament etc.

4. Media management: Management of public perception.

E.g., presenting the stand/policies of government in a persuading manner.

5. Personal relations: Maintain a balance between personal and professional commitments.

E.g., allying the fears of family members before going on a difficult/risky mission.

Five qualities that make civil servant’s effective agents of persuasion of social change:

1. Communication skills:

a) Ability to project the message can persuade people in a better way.

E.g., use of data, images, info-graphics.

b) The ability to make a common cause with the people.

E.g., sharing personal experience to convince people.

2. Expertise: Domain knowledge, expertise of a civil servant.

E.g., a secretary, who is a doctor by education/training, can better persuade people for vaccination.

3. Emotional Intelligence: A civil servant with high level of EI can better understand the problems of his/her audience.

E.g., an education secretary with high EI can persuade students against protests to delay exams.

4. Objectivity: To persuade his seniors, political executive to adopt a particular course of action.

E.g., Finance secretary convincing the finance minister towards increasing funds for MGNREGA on the basis of data, facts, figures etc.

5. Credibility:

a) Trustworthiness of the civil servant can enhance his/her persuasive appeal.

E.g., an honest civil servant is readily believed/obliged by people.

b) The bonafide intentions of the persuader.

E.g., a DM with bonafide intentions can better persuade an agitating crowd.

The ability to persuade enables a civil servant in synergising efforts and resources towards larger development of the country.