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Bennett University proudly conducted a highly anticipated special session and masterclass on the "Principle of Influence by Cialdini" on October 28, 2025. The session featured Mr. Bas Wouters, a renowned Cialdini Method Certified Trainer, International Best-Selling Author, and Founder. This insightful session dived into the psychology of persuasion and its real-world impact, empowering all participants with efficient strategies to communicate, lead, and inspire effectively. Mr. Wouters provided a practical toolkit for ethical deployment, stressing that success hinges on six actions: Give something first, secure a small commitment, show peer behavior, establish authority, cultivate genuine liking, and emphasize scarcity. Organized in collaboration with Quality Austria Central Asia, the event promoted global learning and experiential education through world-class expertise. Mr. Bas Wouters, an expert in persuasion and behavior design, is the bestselling author of Online Influence and the founder and CEO of the Online Influence Institute. Renowned for his mastery of Dr. Robert Cialdini’s six foundational principles of influence - Reciprocity, Commitment and Consistency, Social Proof, Authority, Liking, and Scarcity - Mr. Wouters led an engaging and practical session demonstrating how these principles can be effectively applied across business, communication, and everyday interactions. Dr. Raj Singh, Vice Chancellor of Bennett University, emphasized in his welcome address the constant relevance of several key questions in both personal and professional spheres. He highlighted the impact of trust, urgency, and likability on decision-making, as well as the fundamental factors that truly drive commitment within teams and markets. He also further asserted that with the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence, a concerted effort must be made to strengthen social thinking to effectively counteract the potential negative consequences of technological progress. "Whether you're a leader, or an entrepreneur, or a scientist, you need to be able to get people to say 'yes' to your request, but in an ethical way. And that's what Cialdini's work is all about: ethical influence. It's not manipulation," Mr. Wouters explained to the captivated audience. "You need to be able to influence yourself. If you don't know how to influence yourself to achieve your goals, who can you blame? Nobody. So, first of all, it's about self-influence " In closing, he noted, "Remember, influence is not manipulation; it is the art of understanding and ethically guiding behavior. That is the core message. The ethical application of these principles is what separates a true leader from a mere manipulator." The masterclass served as valuable for teaching students how to enhance their strategic communication and negotiation skills. Author - Ananya Barath, 2nd year BA Mass Communication student at Bennett University
