When Bridging
When Bridging, interrupt as necessary to Listen, ensure understanding, and guide the discussion. Look for opportunities to demonstrate or test your understanding of what the other person has said. Encourage the other person to prioritize concerns or resistance. Seek clarity when you feel you may have misunderstood, or were unable to hear everything the other person told you. Intervene in the flow of discussion to return to a topic the other person raised earlier but which you have not yet explored.
Written on 2008-08-25 by SMS Inc.
When Persuading
When Persuading, beware of argument dilution. Do not dilute your argument by
giving lots of reasons...quantity is a poor substitute for quality. By
giving numerous reasons, you make yourself vulnerable to attack on your
weaker points. Instead, present two to three strong reasons and modify or
add to them to fit the other person's response.
Written on 2008-08-18 by SMS Inc.
When Asserting
When Asserting, it is important that you and the other person
have a personal stake. Asserting may not work if either party
is detached orindifferent to the problem (as in some bureaucratic
situations). This is one reason why people with positional power,
who do not have a personal investment in the situation, do not
use Asserting very effectively.
Written on 2008-08-11 by SMS Inc.
When Attracting
When Attracting, avoid facts and logic; use imagery, your senses,
word pictures, metaphors, or analogies. Focus on possibilities
based on reality instead of realities based on possibilities.
Do not weigh down the vision under the weight of using proposals
and reasons.
Written on 2008-08-04 by SMS Inc.
