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Tip 123: Don't Destroy your position with disclaimers. |
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A consulting firm that inspects property in distant cities for potential investors and then sends them a report on the condition of the property asked me to review some of their reports for format, organization, and persuasive appeal. After reading the first few, my reaction was, "Why would I hire this firm for an opinion?" The boilerplate reports included an appendix full of disclaimers saying in effect, "We make no judgments about the investment value of this property." The numerous disclaimers invalidated the contents and value of the rest of the report! |
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We often do the same thing in conversation: "You're not going to agree with what I'm about to say . . ." Therefore, we set up the conversation so that what follows sounds invalid and full of holes. |
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Tip 124: Avoid ending every statement with a question. |
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"I thought the speaker was boring, didn't you?" "The lounge should be renovated also, don't you think?" "The customer knew of the price increase, right?'' "Let's hold the meeting outside the city, what do you think?" Tag questions at the end of statements make people sound tentative and unsure of their opinions or facts. |
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Tip 125: Recognize the royal "We" as an epithet. |
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When someone doesn't want to own up to decisions, he or she can always hide behind a committee decision. "We have decided this benefit is an unnecessary expense." "I have decided . . ." takes more courage. Leaders use it to own their decisions; managers frequently shun it to avoid accountability and repercussions of their decisions. Others notice the distinction. |
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Tip 126: Pay attention to the stress on words. |
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Notice how the meaning of this sentence varies as I change the stressed (italicized) word(s). |
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Rosita said Sonya heard the committee arguing about the decision. |
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Rosita said Sonya heard the committee arguing about the decision. |
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Rosita said Sonya heard the committee arguing about the decision. |
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Rosita said Sonya heard the committee arguing about the decision. |
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