As elections approach, we move from MIT’s ‘M’ (money) to the ‘I’ influence. So now is a good time to talk about a conversation about politics.
At this point in the election cycle, we want to build a buzz around our candidates that will peak on election day.
It is important to remember that we do not want to talk ‘at’ people but rather ‘with’ people. The first part of talking ‘with’ someone is for us to be good listeners.
First, we want to set up a safe conversation space. Acknowledge and agree this is a democracy and everyone has a right to an opinion. Also, acknowledge this conversation will not change your perception of and relationship with the person.
Next, establish what the person believes and why they believe the way they do. Their thinking may be driven by well throughout factual data or platitudes, or they could even suffer from Mass Formation Psychosis (MFP, which is prevalent today). Facts-driven folks are the best to engage with, as they may be persuaded by reason. Those who think about platitudes or suffering from MFP are very hard to convince and may not be worth your limited ‘influence’ time.
Once you have decided to engage, remember that ‘brevity is the soul of wit’. It is not you against them in a battle of wits. It is a shared journey of two companions. Be clear and concise. Remember to listen and react to what is said.
Finally, the main reason for the ‘influence’ activity is to get people to act. So align with them and form that ‘Us’ thinking. “wow, we think alike” and “how can we move our thinking into action.” Always end on some action that you can share. These conversations are the fun part of politics. You can build or reinforce relationships and, at the same time, help our community become a better place to live.