“People will be persuaded by the depth of your conviction, more than by the height of your logic; more by your enthusiasm, than by any proof you can offer.” This quote is attributed to David Peoples. In many instances I believe the quote rings true. I’d add the following thought to it.
If you don’t know your field of endeavour deeply – your conviction will not be deep.
The ‘how to apply’ for this post: Ask yourself and act on the following question. ‘What questions can’t I answer about your field of endeavour?’ For me, I need to ask myself questions like: ‘How can I help senior executives more quickly learn how to shift between their various interaction types and still be perceived as a beacon of hope.’
Once you pose the questions, seek out the answers to them. When you answer those questions, you’ll have a deeper knowledge and conviction about your field of endeavour.
(A caveat: In some environments, such at highly technical ones, proof might be equal to or greater than conviction. Optimally, you want to be deep in both conviction and proof).