Here’s a break-down of 5 key techniques that turn this into a masterful, persuasive statement of his vision.
It’s a very easy trap to fall into, especially if we feel attacked and want to defend. But it makes a really key mistake. It accepts the person’s framing of the situation, and that is what you don’t want to do.
This eases tension, but more importantly, it confers credibility on Jobs. People who seem balanced in their perspective, acknowledging both sides of an issue, GAIN credibility. Whatever he says next will be MORE CREDIBLE than the questioner’s snide attack.
This is a tough question. It makes everyone stop and think. Why? Because it’s almost unanswerable, if you start from the questioner’s framing. Your natural response was likely, “yeah, thats a good question.”
The heart of Job’s approach is to address, not the point made, but the “frame” it’s sitting in. The insight Jobs bring is really piercing and comes at the issue from a different angle.
Again, this might seem counter-intuitive to admit a mistake. But what jobs is saying is “I’m like you. I was once where you are now.” It normalizes the mistake, making it ok for everyone else who might have thought the same way, but more importantly it claims a similar identity with everyone in the audience who was struggling with he unanswerable question.
To finish, he then makes the point real by telling a story that uses the idea. Neurologically, we are wired for stories. When we hear a story we automatically put ourselves in the heroes position. We feel what he feels and we think what he things. He takes us through the a-ha moment he had, and in doing so, we feel it too.
Until next week,
Kendall -
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