[This is part of the series: 31 Persuasion Tips That I Learned From Scott Adams]
If perception outweighs words, well, we need to think about this.
And maybe be a little more strategic.In the same way that facts are not persuasive, how people view your intentions might be more important than what you actually say.
Let me say it a different way.
Voters care more about how they feel a politician is looking out for them than what specific policy the politician is for or against.
Your boss is probably the same way.
It matters more how you are perceived, in general, than how you performed on project X.
Words are cheap, you have to make people believe in you.
This makes sense.
PERSUASION TIP 23: What you say is important, but it is never as important as what people think you are thinking.
-Scott Adams, Win Bigly