Influencing: Lessons from a ten year old

While shopping for a pair of flip flops this weekend I overheard a girl around ten years old using a great influencing tactic.

The young girl was also looking at flip flops and the woman with her, who I assumed was her mother, said "What size do you take?" The girl answered "I think a 2-3." But she had flip flops that were a size 5-6 in her hand and amazingly they fit. The woman told the young girl "They look good, you should get them."

The ten year old girl looked up at the woman as she took the flip flops off and said "You'll have to ask Mom because she already told me no."

Here's a girl who already thinks outside of the box when it comes to getting something she wants. What influencing tactic did she use? According to Todd Jick in his Managerial Influence Tactics she used Higher Authority. Auntie can step in and help Mom see that her child really wants and should have these flip flops.

Ah, the young and not so innocent.

Barb...LL