Pacing and Leading

Short Definition

A persuasion method Adams describes from hypnosis: first match an audience's emotional state, language, or assumptions (pacing), then guide them toward a new conclusion or behavior (leading).

Expanded Description

In Adams' framing, pacing builds trust and psychological alignment. The persuader starts where the audience already is, reflects its tone and concerns, and creates comfort before attempting change.

Leading comes after rapport: once people feel understood, they are more willing to follow a reframed interpretation, policy preference, or action. Adams often contrasts this with simple agreement or pandering, arguing that pacing and leading is an influence sequence, not passive mirroring.

Representative Quotes

• "That’s a little different than traditional fiction where I'm making the character lead you all the way... You would call it pacing and leading... If somebody uses angry words and war words, you'd start out using them; that's pacing... then that sets them up for the leading."
• "Trump knew his Republican base has a strong negative reaction to O'Donnell... First you match your audience's emotional condition to gain trust, and later you are in a position to lead them."
• "Pacing and leading is separate from consistency principle."
• "Pandering is nothing but agreeing. Pacing and leading is persuasion."
• "It's called pacing and leading. You're not the target for this persuasion."
• "Uh-oh. Robots can learn to persuade via 'harmonizing' with human actions. (Pacing and leading.)"

Relevant X Posts (Newest First)

• 2024-11-22: Robots, harmonizing, and persuasion risk: x.com/ScottAdamsSays/status/1859953472587927875
• 2024-05-29: "You're not the target" note: x.com/ScottAdamsSays/status/1795810413340492286
• 2023-11-11: "Pacing and Leading" music post: x.com/ScottAdamsSays/status/1723407396033495461
• 2023-10-24: Drum composition post: x.com/ScottAdamsSays/status/1716866052230119467
• 2019-08-13: Win Bigly recommendation: x.com/ScottAdamsSays/status/1161329067842347008
• 2018-06-16: Diplomatic pacing mode example: x.com/ScottAdamsSays/status/1007966172237582336
• 2017-09-20: Pandering vs persuasion distinction: x.com/ScottAdamsSays/status/910522028205080576
• 2017-09-20: Leaders demonstrating pacing and leading: x.com/ScottAdamsSays/status/910480365659160576
• 2017-05-01: Separate from consistency principle: x.com/ScottAdamsSays/status/858845112909955072
• 2017-04-26: CWSA lesson link: x.com/ScottAdamsSays/status/857251282301497344

Related Concepts

• Trained Hypnotist
• Visual Persuasion
• Thinking Past the Sale
• Persuasion Tells
• Filter (Psychological)

Source Note

This entry synthesizes Adams' recurring description of pacing and leading across Win Bigly, interviews, livestream commentary, and X posts.