Author: Gina Phan

Influence and Persuasion: Why Pulling Is More Effective Than Pushing!

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I posted a video of a tugboat recently on social media.

Influence and Persuasion is used in leadership, conflict resolution, decision making, project management or in sales.

When people think about the word “influence”, they usually think about it in terms of PUSHING: a person exerting power or pressure on another. While this is certainly true, there is also another side to influence that many people don’t realize exists: PULLING.

In this article, I will show you how to use the power of pulling in your communication to get more of what you want.

Pushing versus Pulling

When you are trying to persuade someone to take an action or believe something, you can either push or pull.  A push is when you use urge or force people to do (perform a task)  whilst a pull is when you motivate someone or a group to perform a task, to comply or to believe something.

When you push, you exert power or pressure on someone. However, when you push, people can go in different directions. But when you pull, you go the way, and show the way – in one direction towards you.

Does this remind you of the carrot and the stick?

Pulling is longer-lasting

In the world of persuasion, pushing is often used to get people to do something immediately, while pulling is used to change people’s minds over time.  

Pushing is easier, faster, and more convenient than pulling. That’s why it’s more common. It is used to get people to do something that they don’t want to do right away. Leaders can use the push type influence if they need people to comply to a decision; or when they need the team to pick up speed. This type of influence is only short-term and cannot be used regularly. It also requires some form of authority for it to be effective.

Pulling is more difficult and slower, but it is more effective in terms of lasting results. You can’t just tell someone to do something. They have to want to do it.

People usually prefer to be pulled by someone who they trust. They allow the leader to guide them because they want to follow; they are allowing the leader to influence them. Pulling is done by appealing to the emotions of the other person. This is done by making them feel that their interest in your topic is important.

Ways to pull people to follow

Here are some ways you can do it:

  1. Give them a reason why
  2. Offer an incentive
  3. Create a desire for that goal
  4. Help them visualize the better future with the change
  5. Offer a solution to their problem
  6. Inspire them

All these require you to know the other party; You need to understand their pain points. You must be invested in their success.

About the Author: Gina Phan is a consultant and trainer with Zinfinity Consulting. She currently conducts courses in workplace performance skills. Click here to know more about her.

What else does she write about?

#leadership #pushing #pulling #influence #persuasion

#trainergina #ginaphan #gp

Image credit: Manfred Antranias Zimmer from pixabay.com

About IUPT Asia-Pacific

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Some of the committee members at a meeting on 4th Sept 2022

On 4th Sept, I was invited to serve as a committee member for the IUPT Asia-Pacific Centre, located in Kuala Lumpur. It certainly is a great honour and privilege for me to serve together with industry leaders such as KC See, Jonathan Low, Martin Mueller, Shirley Leong , Soo Hoo, Daphne Au, Ayappa Dass Kunnath, Dr Azeeza Jalaludee, and many more.

The International Union of Professional Trainers (#IUPT) is an independent international civil organization with noble goals serving the humanitarian community. It is specialized in representing international trainers by uniting their efforts and taking care of their affairs.

The Union has its headquarters in Nottingham, UK. It was established based on international laws and agreements and is officially registered in Britain with the number 13626306.

To know more about IUPT, please visit https://iupt.org.uk/

If you are located in Asia-Pacific and want to know more about membership and its benefits, please drop your name in the comment section.

Oh yes, we are organising the first IUPT Asia Pacific conference on 28 – 29 October this year. It will be done in a hybrid manner – physical and online.

Stay tuned for more information.

#iuptasiapacific #iuptconference #kualalumpur #trainers #professionaltrainers #learninganddevelopment

About the Author: Gina Phan is a consultant and trainer with Zinfinity Consulting. She currently conducts courses in workplace performance skills. Click here to know more about her.

What else does she write about?.

Are you competitive?

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[Picture by Fred Lehmann from Pixabay.com]

I like challenges, but don’t like competition. Does that make sense?

I notice I would get excited when I have a challenge to overcome but once there is a competitive element in it, I lose interest in the activity or task. I believe it’s because I just like to compete with myself.

If you are like me, know that this trait is helpful in negotiations. Yes, you read right. Good negotiators take a non-competitive strategy. They work for win-win so that all parties walk away satisfied with the results.

A collaborative method helps us work towards achieving common goals.

Whether you are naturally competitive or otherwise, you can learn these methods. These skills help you build and maintain important relationships, while achieving your long-term goals.

About the Author: Gina Phan is a consultant and trainer with Zinfinity Consulting. She currently conducts courses in workplace performance skills. Click here to know more about her.

Read her other posts.

#negotiations #negotiationskills #winwin #collaborative #challenges #competitive
#gp #trainergina

[Course Announcement] Persuasive Power for Sales Professionals: Influence with Business Storytelling

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Are you a sales professional who want to connect better with clients? How can I standout above my competitor in my communication?

In conjunction with Knowledge Hub Asia Sdn Bhd, we are delighted to announce this course that is specially designed for Sales Professionals. Story telling is a compelling method to introduce yourself, build rapport, sell your personal and corporate brand, and respond to objections. They are other times in which this tool can help in positioning your solution, product or service.

Date: 17 & 18 Feb 2022

Location: TheHub, Jaya One, PJ (click for map)

Contact: Esther Yong, +6012-266 2728, inquiry@knowledgehub-asia.com

May this year be a launchpad for the next

Gina Phan Leave a comment

It’s the last day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. This is the time for many of us to reflect on the last 12 months, and some will make resolutions for the next.

First, I’d like to thank everyone who has been part of my journey. I hope I will continue to be part of yours in the future.

I seldom share my yearly reflections in public but this year, I am making an exceptions and hope to find more kindred spirit here. My list is long so I will only share the top reflections. Bear with me, folks.

1. All in the mind. I had only 1 in-person training in 2021 — it was in January and the very next day, a lock-down was imposed. This was before the vaccination programs. People were saying (and still are saying), that wearing a mask the whole day while conducting training is difficult because ‘we cannot breath properly.’ A very good friend once told me ‘It’s all in the mind. Once you set your mind, it’ll be ok.‘ And so, I completed 2 days of training with socially-distanced activities wearing a mask and did not die of suffocation. ——– Throughout the last 2 years, many lament on the volatility of the situation. With each lockdown, we fear its negative effects on us. Accept it, embrace it, adapt to it. Sometimes, you don’t need to ask why. (By the way, I also use the mask at the gym and have not suffocated as well).

2. Stop being divisive. It’s human nature to be. In recent times, the world has been divided explosively over many Covid-19 virus matters — its source, lockdowns and control methods, masks or no masks, whether to vaccinate or not, which vaccination is best, booster or not. We express this divisive nature in all aspects of our lives. There are times we need to individualism and there are times, we need to be communitarian. It’s a matter of choosing being responsible for others over your own entitlement and rights.

3. Roller-coasters are roller-coasters. The year has been like a roller-coaster ride. We started with the lifting of a lock-down but saw many other forms implemented throughout the year. Most of us were not vaccinated in the beginning of the year but today, we are in the booster stage. Some of us thought the pandemic will be over by the middle of the year. Today, we hear of new and newer variants. We thought we will go back to in-person meetings and training for good. Today, we all accept that this can change anytime. In all that sharp declines, and slow ascent in this roller-coaster ride, we have grown in terms of understanding, knowledge, skills, and adaptability. (We are a resilient species.) As we reflect on the year, we have been through a roller-coaster ride but with each dip and spike, we reach higher. Nobody says it will be a smooth journey. Continue to be strong while we pace towards our goals. (yes, pace yourself)

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

4. Do something new. Regardless of the situation, there will always be opportunities to do something new. In my case, I continued my learning journey with formal and informal ways. Sometime in the next quarter, I will gain a new certification as a Brian Tracy Trainer. A friend of mine completed his Masters and is now a PhD candidate. I have also learned in informal sessions and these help me sharpen my axe. People say it’s a slowdown. So what do you with the extra time? You can always volunteer. I decided to volunteer my energy with a food bank cause and also with the International Women’s Federation of Commerce and Industry Malaysia (#IWFCIM) and their CSR programmes.

5. Open up. I challenged myself to write everyday for 21 days earlier this year. It turned out I managed to do it for more. I was very shy about sharing my thoughts because I felt like an imposter sometimes. The experience has helped me be more open and to be more confident. It has also helped me organise my thoughts better.

6. Cleanup. Sometimes, we attract and gather a lot of dirt along the way. The recent Klang Valley flood has taught me a lot about cleaning up and the need to discard. What you don’t need in your life, throw it out. (Folks who have visited my house know that I have not perfected this yet. 😉 ) But it’s the journey that counts.

7. Be gentle with yourself. My latest lesson happened a few days ago. I was talking to a friend and shared some private lamentations with her. And she asked me, “Are you expecting yourself to be perfect?” We can be our worse critic – we want to be the perfect spouse, parent, trainer …. Acknowledge our strengths and embrace our weaknesses as part and parcel of our authenticity and uniqueness. Learn and improve.

I did not want to put this last bit in a numbered list because this deserves a place on its own. So last but actually foremost ….

Relationships. Family and friends are the foundations that we are built on. Some will point you towards the Almighty’s ways, some will lend you their ears when you need it most, some will lend you a hand in many ways, and some will cheer you silently. They are there. They see you.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Have a blessed and safe New Year. May this year be a launchpad for our next to achieve greater heights.

About the Author: Gina Phan is a consultant and trainer with Zinfinity Consulting. She currently conducts courses in workplace performance skills. Click here to know more about her.

Read her other posts.

#reflections2021 #Newyear2022 #gratitude

Aftermath of a flood

Gina Phan Leave a comment

Some may have read this on my social media channels but I thought I’ll put this in a blog post so that I can easily find it again in the future.

18th December 2021 – it started raining and raining and raining. It didn’t stop until the next morning. News of floods starting from the Klang area which soon also affected other parts of Shah Alam and Subang Jaya. This would be one of the greatest floods in the Klang Valley since 1971. The cause of the storm is a mini typhoon named Tropical Depression No. 29. This is the first time an eye of a storm developed in the Straits of Malacca.

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Reaching the pinnacle of leadership with one potato.

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Alternate title: The Potato of Love

Image by Gundula Vogel from Pixabay

What can you do with a potato? Lots! French fries (chips, if you prefer), potato salad, wedges, casserole, curry puffs, creamy mash, and a chicken curry is never complete with its potato. But never did I expect to see something beautiful demonstrated with potatoes; to be exact — a boy and his single potato.

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[nrp soundbites] How to empower – Wrap up

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[28 July 2021] Day 58 of the nrp* in Malaysia

I have given 6 quick tips on how to create an empowering culture by


1. Letting go of fear and starting to trust
2. Flattening the hierarchy and setting clear objectives to employees
3. Delegating with the intention to develop
4. Providing the resources to support your employees (and see an increase in customer loyalty)
5. Being open to feedback
6. Encouraging creativity and see innovation thrive

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Business Writing for Corporates [Course Announcement]

Gina Phan 2 Comments

Improve your business writing in 12 hours!

No more staring at a black screen, trying to structure a message or a report.

Join our trainer, Gina Phan, for 3 half-days in this engaging online workshop.

This course targets how to create business documents in the modern workplace, which takes into account the many forms that modern communication can take, and teaches participants how to align their message with the appropriate medium .

Dates: 18-20 August 2021, morning sessions

Organised by: Event Mastery

Know more and register: Click here or contact +6017-866-8522

[nrp soundbites] How to empower – Tip #5: Feedback

Gina Phan 2 Comments
[13 July 2021] Day 43 of the nrp* in Malaysia

A few years ago, I was doing a project consulting project for a software company. The management had assigned Samantha, an experienced executive to act as a resource person. As I worked with her, I noticed that Samantha would stick to a very fixed way of performing her tasks and never want to learn any new ways. She would never tell me why and each time, she goes on a very long explanation about the process she takes. When asked for ideas and opinion, she would not contribute any. At first, I thought she was inflexible and unteachable.

But then, I found that this was a common trait among the staff that worked for the same department that Samantha worked in. I noticed that their manager is a subject matter specialist and takes the effort to correct his staff when they made any mistakes. He is not nasty when he does it and I believe he truly wants them to learn. But it would be better if he had balanced his feedback to be both supportive and corrective in nature.

So as a result, like Samantha, they will not want to try anything new nor share their thoughts. They don’t really know how they are performing as they feel they are being corrected all the time.

Empower and give feedback

In this How to Empower series, I have shared the following:

  1. Stop fearing and start trusting
  2. Flatten your hierarchy and set clear objectives
  3. Delegate with intent to develop to increase employee engagement
  4. Provide resources to support and see increase in your customer loyalty

Empowering employees does not mean they are to be left on their own and figure out how they are doing at their work. Expect mistakes and provide feedback.

Positive feedback works better

I’d like to share something that a friend taught me about giving feedback.

If you want to help someone improve, catch them when they do something right.

– Steven Cheah

Often, leaders feel they need to point out mistakes that employees have done so as to avoid the mistake being repeated. There’s a limit to how effective this is. How many times have you heard leaders say this — Despite my reminders so many times, I still see the mistake being made.

By praising employees when they do something right, you are reinforcing the right behavior and you will see more of this behavior. This increases their confidence as well as trust in you as a leader.

How did this help Samantha? I started by giving her goals, instead of tasks. I did not give her any fixed processes and asked her to tell me what was the best way to achieve these goals. She was not used to it at first. I also made sure my feedback was positive and took the time to acknowledge when she did something right. She became more confident and had stopped justifying every single step of the process she took.

(Read the other parts about empowerment)

(*nrp stands for National Recovery Plan.)
(Feature Image by Robin Higgins from Pixabay.)

About the Author: Gina Phan is a consultant and trainer with Zinfinity Consulting. She currently conducts courses in workplace performance skills. Click here to contact her, follow her on Facebook or connect with her on Linkedin.

Read her other posts.

#leadership #servantleadership #empower #empowermenttips #management #feedback
#trainergina #ginaphan #gp

[nrp soundbites] How to empower – Tip #4: Resources to support

Gina Phan 2 Comments
[9 July 2021] Day 39 of the nrp* in Malaysia

This is already the 4th piece about empowerment. If you are not already convinced, here’s a major benefit of empowering your employees — According to a Gallup study, organizations that empower employees experience higher customer loyalty by as much as 50%.

Your customer’s experience with your brand is largely dependent on what is happening inside your organisation — employee satisfaction. Empowered employees take personal responsibility for doing a good job. The business reaps the benefits of this mindset.

Ritz-Carlton famously empowers its employees to spend up to $2,000 to make a customer happy, and a baristas at certain international coffee shops are authorised to give you a free drink if you have an issue with the service. No wonder these brands rate high in customer experience and satisfaction.

Resources and tools

Your employees can deliver superior products and services if they feel engaged in the organisation. They want to be able to address day-to-day challenges of customer handling more effectively. If there is an unsatisfied customer, do they have the tools and authority to make a decision to fix the problem immediately?

As a business leader, it’s good to think about how and what your employees can be empowered to do. And then, think of what resources are required for them to be able do it. What kind of changes to you need to make to your systems and processes to accomodate this?

Many years ago when I was on a business trip, I arrived at my hotel to find that my room was not ready. The staff kept me waiting at the lobby for 2 hours. Despite my complaints, they were not empowered to upgrade me to another room. And for some reason, the hotel’s General Manager was ‘uncontactable’ for that 2 hours. That was the last time I ever chose to stay in that hotel.

Compare that with another hotel that paid for refreshments for my family and upgraded us to a suite when the same thing happened on one of our holidays. No fuss; the staff at the reception are empowered to do it. Did they get my loyalty as a customer? You bet, they did!

(Read the other parts about empowerment)

(*nrp stands for National Recovery Plan.)
(Feature Image by Rodrigo Salomón Cañas from Pixabay.)

About the Author: Gina Phan is a consultant and trainer with Zinfinity Consulting. She currently conducts courses in workplace performance skills. Click here to contact her, follow her on Facebook or connect with her on Linkedin.

Read her other posts.

#leadership #servantleadership #empower #empowermenttips #management #resources
#trainergina #ginaphan #gp

[nrp soundbites] How to empower – Tip #3: Delegate to develop

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[6 July 2021] Day 36 of the nrp* in Malaysia

Empowerment increases employee engagement. According to Joseph Folkman who analysed data on more than 7,000 employees, people who felt a low level of empowerment were rated with engagement at the 24th percentile, whereas those with a high level of empowerment were at the 79th percentile.

After Tip #1 and Tip #2, let’s see how delegation helps.

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[nrp soundbites] A leader’s mindset

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[2 July 2021] Day 32 of nrp* in Malaysia

Today, I take a small break on the topic of empowerment and talk about mindset. Leaders are responsible for their team’s performance. Sometimes, they are sent for formal training and sometimes they rely on on-the-job experience (aka shoot, then aim). Why are some more successful than others as leaders? The biggest contributor to this difference is mindset.

Today, I take a small break on the topic of empowerment and talk about mindset. Leaders are responsible for their team’s performance. Sometimes, they are sent for formal training and sometimes they rely on on-the-job experience (aka shoot, then aim). Why are some more successful than others as leaders? The biggest contributor to this difference is mindset. O

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[nrp soundbites] How to empower – Tip #2: Flatten and set clear objectives.

Gina Phan 2 Comments
[1 July 2021] Day 31 of nrp* in Malaysia

On this first day of the second half of the year, I share the second tip on how to empower successfully. To make empowerment effective, it’s good to flatten the hierachy. Flat organisations have few or no levels of intermediate management between staff and leaders. This “flattened” hierarchy increases employee involvement through a decentralized decision-making process.

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[nrp soundbites] How to empower – Tip #1: Trust, not fear

Gina Phan 2 Comments
[30 June 2021] Day 30 of the nrp* in Malaysia

“Hey, you wrote about how important it is to empower people. Can you tell us how to do it?” Someone texted me when he read my previous post.
I agree, it will certainly be more helpful. Since these are soundbites, let me break it down.

The first tip is to look at why there’s room for improvement in your organisation. Not why it is needed — that has already been established yesterday. But what are the stumbling blocks that we need to overcome.

Is there a lack of awareness? Is it because this has always been the way it is done? Or you don’t think your employees are capable enough? You don’t trust them? Or deep down, is there a fear of empowerment? Only you can answer this honestly.

Start by removing these barriers. If you want your employees to go the extra mile, it is not about going out to look for new ones. It’s about creating an environment in which your current employees feel safe to do it.

Stop fearing; Start trusting

I have met managers who fear that when their staff do better, their position will be threaten. So they withhold information and give half-instructions just so that they can look good in comparison. I had one such manager. Each time he gives me a task, he would always make sure it is not complete. So, I will always fail in front of the bigger bosses. But he forgot one thing — I can read. After I realised what was going on, I always did my research and found the missing piece of information.

So what happened to me after awhile? I got better at my work and was given higher responsibilities eventually. What happened to him? He stayed put and continued to complain that his team members are always making mistakes, making him look bad. And he ‘always had to come in to rescue them‘. He certainly looked at them as his competitor. What he didn’t realise was that the bigger bosses looks at the performance of his team as a reflection of his leadership. So, the strategy of tripping your own team members is counter-productive. I feel sad for him. He was a smart person,a very good developer but his fear worked against him.

Then there’s the business owner who feel that once his employees are empowered, they will leave and compete with him. Yes, that happens all the time. It happens whether you do it or not. The only question I have is “Do you prefer to empower them and they leave, or do you prefer that they remain as ineffective and stay?” Some may prefer the latter. It’s totally acceptable if they are happy with their business growth rate and the amount of energy they have to put in themselves. Employees who want to thrive will still leave eventually because the environment will be too stifling for them. Either they will leave to help your competitor or they will start their own business to compete with you.

Here’s one idea for those in this position: Instead of looking at people who leave as competition, look for ways to collaborate. This is how you can turn a win-lose situation into a win-win. My friend’s boss did that — he invested in my friend’s new business.

Start by trusting. It is an investment into the future.

(Read more about empowerment)
(*nrp stands for National Recovery Plan.)
(Feature Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.)

About the Author: Gina Phan is a consultant and trainer with Zinfinity Consulting. She currently conducts courses in workplace performance skills. Click here to contact her, follow her on Facebook or connect with her on Linkedin.

Read her other posts.

#leadership #servantleadership #empower #empowermenttips
#trainergina #ginaphan #gp

[nrp soundbites] Why leaders should empower their employees?

Gina Phan 2 Comments
[28 June 2021] Day 28 of NRP Phase 1* in Malaysia

Remember the days where we had to go to the bank to deposit a cheque? Back in the day, I would arrive at the banking hall, take my queue number and wait for my turn. When my number is called, I approach the counter, present the cheque and my savings account book. The bank officer the bank would take both, process it and then pass it over to someone with a higher authority to checkmark on the slip before my attempt to put money into my own account is considered successful. I have always been amazed as to how inefficient this process is. Not only does it take longer to complete a transaction, but it shows how disempowered the person working at the counter is.

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[fmco soundbites] I thought I was being empathetic, really.

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[27 June 2021] Day 27 of the fmco* in Malaysia

Yesterday, I posted about how a leader should be empathetic. This is not something that we can get right all the time. It can be pretty tricky.

Many years ago, one of my co-worker was going through a difficult time because her mother was at the last stages in her battle with cancer. After work, she would rush to the hospital and stay with her mom throughout the night. I did not know at first but detected some change in the quality of her work. When I talked to her, she explained her situation to me.

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