Persuasive Language: Capture Their Attention Early

It’s as simple as this: Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Sometimes a scream is better than a thesis.” In this fast-paced world, every second is precious when trying to convince and convert someone. We have to find a way to capture attention as quickly as possible. People nowadays are a lot like goldfish. Our attention […]

Persuasive Language: Craft a Simple message

When we talk about language, it starts simply. Children don’t begin speaking complex sentences, but rather learn to piece together various sounds they hear from adults and older siblings. Eventually, these pieces form coherent words, and those words in turn become sentences; suddenly, you’re having a conversation. In communicating with an audience, it’s important to […]

Profiles in persuasion: Franklin Delano Roosevelt

When we think about presidents that left their mark on the nation, few lists would go long before pointing to Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Born into a wealthy family, Roosevelt grew up with the typical education of a late-19th century gentleman. Once he moved from preparatory schooling to undergraduate, at Harvard, Roosevelt took an interest in […]

getting buy-in for your vision

By this point, you’ve got your vision and are ready to change the world. But do you know how to communicate that vision to others, and how to get them to buy into the idea? Here’s a few ideas on how to do just that. First, make sure you actually know what your members and […]

How to find and develop your vision

Have you ever played a board game with friends, only to have people quibble over the rules midway through the game? See, it may feel as if you’re on the same page, but if it comes to a point where your mutual understandings of the game fall apart, the game is impossible to complete. The […]

Profiles in Persuasion: Reagan’s Vision

In this section, we’ll be looking at how important having a clear and well-articulated vision is for leaders. As our example, we’ll focus on President Ronald Reagan, who served from 1981-1989. Ronald Reagan is one of the defining presidents in American history. In fact, to this day, many Republicans still identify themselves as Reagan Republicans, […]

What’s the value in adopting new technology?

We understand now what type of people adopt new technology, and that it takes a certain level of confidence in yourself to do it. Fear and uncertainty may hold you back, but to overcome the discomfort that accompanies new things, you must begin with a mindset shift. It’s not easy, but it pays off in […]

Who Adopts New Technology and Who Does Not?

For some, new technology is easy to adopt. They thrive on innovation and are always looking for the next big thing. Some people seem more inclined than others to jump on the tech bandwagon and explore new ways of doing things. But is it innate? Many of us are familiar with the various personality tests, […]

Persuasion Through Public Speaking: Delivery

Over the past few blogs, we’ve unpacked some of the most important aspects of public speaking. Now that you have a better understanding of how to form a persuasive message, it’s time to get on stage. But many of us, myself included, have one final hurdle to jump: stage fright. Here’s the thing: stage fright […]

Persuasion through Public Speaking: Monroe’s Sequence

In seeking to persuade others, it’s important to make a plan before you jump write in. If you’ve ever needed to deliver a speech off the cuff, I’m sure you’ve run into trouble. Without forethought, we often fail to package our speeches in the best possible way, and that’s ok. But when we know we […]