Listening and a nudge

Listen and Give a Nudge

In a recent post on listening, we mentioned that sometimes people just need a moment to think things through and they'll figure it out. Other times, they might need a little nudge.

After hearing them out, ask them to consider your point of view. If they’re open to it, try one of these three methods:

1. Anecdotal Evidence: Anecdotes are great when your audience is on the fence and just needs a gentle push. Positive anecdotes show that similar solutions have worked before. Negative anecdotes? Think of them as cautionary tales. But be careful—if your audience is skeptical, this might not be your best bet.

2. Deductive Logic: Think Sherlock Holmes or Monk. They piece together tiny details, add a dash of intuition (or a hint of crazy), and solve the case. Deductive logic is great—if everyone already agrees on the basics. Just be wary; this method has ended more debates (and careers) than ignorance ever has. Look for words like "therefore," "obvious," and "common sense."

3. Empirical Proof: Empirical proof is the heavyweight champion of persuasion. It’s a lot of work for both you and your audience, but the results are worth it. Stay tuned for our next article where we’ll dive deeper into this method.