6 Ways To Influence 12 Angry Men

4/2/2019 6 ways to influence 12 angry men
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6 ways to influence 12 angry men

NOVEMBER 9, 2011 By DAVE ✎ LEAVE A COMMENT
Imagine you’re in a meeting with 11 of your peers. They are all in

agreement and keen to move on. You are the only one to have
doubts, but the stakes are extraordinarily high: a man’s life. What
do you do?
That’s the premise of Sidney Lumet’s 1957 film 12 Angry Men, a

fascinating study of influence and leadership.
As the jury of a murder trial retire to consider their verdict, Henry

Fonda’s Juror 8 is the lone dissenting voice who refuses to
sanction a unanimous guilty verdict. Though uncertain of the
defendant’s guilt or innocence, his insistence on re-examining the
case gradually leads the remaining 11 jurors to change their
minds.
12 Angry Men is a classic illustration of Kouzes and Posner’s leadership behaviour Challenge the
Process. It is the hottest day of the year, everyone is keen to escape the stifling jury room, and Juror
8’s stand leaves him ridiculed and unpopular.
Seeking to challenge the accepted view, he enlists a number of influencing techniques to support
him.
1. Ask, don’t tell

Juror 8 is able to sow seeds of doubt in the minds of his colleagues simply by asking challenging
questions. He identifies flaws in the prosecution’s case and in the commitment of the defence
team, but lets his fellow jurors come to their own conclusions about their meaning.
www.movieleadership.com/2011/11/09/6-ways-to-influence-12-angry-men-2/ 1/6
2. Deal
To gain early agreement to further discussion, Juror 8 proposes a deal: if a secret ballot finds at
least two jurors in favour of acquittal, they’ll discuss the case further. If not, he’ll accept the majority
view. The gamble pays off, with the elderly juror changing his vote and the remaining jurors
committed to their part of the deal.
3. Build alliances
It’s not easy being the lone dissenter – but that doesn’t mean you’re wrong. At the start, Juror 8
needs just one person to support his request to discuss the case further. Gradually, others are
persuaded by his arguments, and the momentum builds as they re-examine their own niggling
doubts and identify further loopholes.
4. Make your case visual and

compelling
John Kotter rightly argues that getting people to
feel (as opposed to think) differently is most
effective at changing behaviour. He suggests
creating surprising, compelling and preferably
visual experiences for that purpose. Juror 8
illustrates this by dramatically throwing a
duplicate knife on the table to prove the ubiquity Henry Fonda as Juror 8
of the apparently ‘unique’ murder weapon.
5. Use others’ expertise

Juror 8 uses the expert testimony of fellow jurors whose personal experience lends authenticity to
his argument: the elderly juror who can understand the motivations of a key witness; the man who
lived near the elevated subway; the juror who’d witnessed knife fights.
6. Identify the hidden agenda

Our experience and preconceptions all contribute to our view of the world. Juror 8 skilfully exposes
his colleagues’ hidden motivations, revealing them both to themselves and to each other. One
juror’s enthusiasm to convict is laid bare as a deep-rooted prejudice based on fear: another’s is
rooted in the failure of his relationship with his own son.
This last technique has an associated lesson for leaders. How often do we allow our own
preconceptions to go unchecked? Constantly re-examining the reasons for our own views and
opinions can lead to far better decisions.
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Filed Under: CHALLENGE THE PROCESS , MODEL THE WAY

Tagged With: 12 ANGRY MEN , COURAGE , DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS , INFLUENCE , KOTTER , LEADERSHIP ,
MOVIES , PERSUASION , ROLE MODEL
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4/2/2019 6 ways to influence 12 angry men

Home About Why movies? Get the eBooks How to Guide

6 ways to influence 12 angry men

Imagine you’re in a meeting with 11 of your peers. They are all in

That’s the premise of Sidney Lumet’s 1957 ﬁlm 12 Angry Men, a

As the jury of a murder trial retire to consider their verdict, Henry

1. Ask, don’t tell

4. Make your case visual and

of the apparently ‘unique’ murder weapon.

5. Use others’ expertise

6. Identify the hidden agenda

You might also enjoy...

Under the 42: ﬁve lessons Under the Three major

It's good to share...

Filed Under: CHALLENGE THE PROCESS , MODEL THE WAY

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Search this website …

Enter your email address...

GET THE EBOOKS

‣ 4 powerful leadership lessons from

‣ 7 Olympic leadership lessons from

‣ Is Twelve O'Clock High the

‣ 42: five lessons about change

determination (29) vision (33)

“I’m not looking for the best players, I’m looking

— Herb Brooks, Miracle

COPYRIGHT © 2019 · DAVID WRAITH · ALL RIGHTS RESERVED · LOG IN

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