Craft Surgical Strike Questions
Because the other person’ s answers will be your desired outcome
In this post series you’ll discover a true-to-life dialogue showing how questions asked, rather than statements made, win arguments. It’s what argument pros call slow squeezing.
You won’t help shoots grow by pulling them higher.
-Chinese Proverb
This post isn’t about China. It’s about what happened to us in the former Yugoslavia. Bev and I arrived in Zagreb, in the former Yugoslavia, on a Saturday night in November. In our room at the InterContinental Hotel was a brochure extolling the beauty of Plitvice Lakes-16 small lakes connected by waterfalls, in a beautiful mountain setting.
Assemble an Arsenal of Magic Words and Phrases
Because the way to win is to grab, hold, and convince
Call upon words and phrases to zoom your argument from flabby and ho-hum dull to captivating and compelling.
In this post series you’ll discover how the pros present things not as they are, but as they want them to be perceived.
It’s Power-Upper Time
Because you want to ” caffeinate” your argument
You’ll need a basic black dress that will always get you out of a what-to-wear jam. Jazz it up with a glittery necklace, glitzy shoes, and a gold belt, and you’re off and ready for the party.
Know What to Say, When to Say It, and What Not to Say
Because every argument has slippery slopes
In this chapter you’ll discover eight business-as-usual argument moves. But how they play out may not be to your liking.
The Green Machine was a team of 7-year-old AYSO soccer players. My daughter Melissa was a Green Machine player. The Titans were their rivals.
Todd was a Titan. During one very close game, Todd’s father ran up and down the sidelines screaming, “Todd, you’re not hustling!” “Run! Run!! Run!!!” “Todd, keep your eye on the ball!” I felt embarrassed for Todd. But what should or could I do?
Finally, my neighbor John cupped his hands and shouted across the playing field, “If you want Todd to be a champion, you’ll have to yell a lot louder than that!”
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Create a Bulletproof Argument, Because winning requires “ sounds right” reasoning
It’s not enough that what you have to say feels right. It must also sound right. “Feeling right” is an emotional thing. “Sounding right” is a logic thing.
In this post series you’ll discover how to make things sound right with drop-’em-in-their-tracks content creation tactics.
“Logic is in the eye of the logician.” -Gloria Steinem
When the guys on the Wilson High quad weren’t talking about girls, we were exploring the magic and mystery of logic. Can you find faulty logic in this classic story that has baffled me since 9th grade? Our math teacher, Mr. Huffman, had an explanation that still rings true: logic is both magical and mysterious.
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It was a dark and stormy night. Seeking refuge from a worsening storm, three men-strangers to each other-race into a small hotel at the same time.
4 Ways to Add Credibility to Your Argument
Because it’s not enough that you’re credible-what you say has to appear credible
1. There’s Credibility in Being Precise
Here’s how I coached Jake, my plumber: Make a $296.75 bid and it sounds well thought out. Deliberated. But if you bid $300, it will sound “pulled out of a hat.” Cavalier. An invitation to your customer to haggle.
“Ivory soap is 99-44/100% pure.” Would Ivory soap’s purity be just as credible if it proclaimed, “Ivory soap is very, very pure”?
Lead Inside the Consent Zone, Because you don’t push, you lead
In this post you’ll discover how to lead the other person to your desired outcome.
Meet Lisa, One of Our Staffers
Because if you can’ t get her interested, you’re going nowhere
Lisa, a member of our law office staff, is bright and well-informed. She clearly understands the health risks of smoking. Unfortunately, she has a “belief” of her own: life is to be enjoyed and no one lives forever. If she didn’t smoke, she would be a nervous wreck. She would gain weight. Smoking is bad for you, but then so are a million other things.
Who attends pro-life rallies? The answer is pro-life advocates. Who listens to pro-choice speeches? Pro-choice advocates. Who turns out to hear Republicans? Republicans turn out to hear Republicans. Democrats do the same for their candidates. Who really reads advertisements? The answer: people who have already bought the truck, or diet program, or personal computer being pitched.
