press/push the right button/buttons

to do exactly what is necessary to get the result that you want.

You have to know how to push all the right buttons if you want to be a successful diplomat.

Sometimes you're interviewing someone really shy and then you press the right button and they just don't stop talking.

• have pity on
• have pity on someone
• have pride of place
• have rolling in the aisles
• have second thoughts
• have seen better days
• have seen more something than has had hot dinners
• have seen more something than someone has had hot dinners
• have seen more than has had hot dinners
• have seen more than someone has had hot dinners
• have seen the last of
• have seen the last of someone
• have seen the last of something
• have several strings to bow
• have several strings to your bow
• have share of
• have share of something
• have shit for brains
• have sights set on
• have sights set on doing something
• have sights set on something
• have someone by the balls
• have someone by the short and curlies
• have someone dead to rights
• have someone down on like a ton of bricks