Preparing to be persuasive

The end of the fiscal year is approaching. One door closes and a new one opens. It will soon be time to focus on the cohesion of the team around a common goal. You remember Michael Jordan’s words, “Some people want it to happen, some people wish it to happen and a few make it happen.”  How will YOU persuade the team to bring their best selves forward for maximum results? So, you decide to brush up on your persuasion skills.

In preparation to your next persuasive speech, here’s a piece of advice: follow Monroe’s Motivated Sequence. You will use the same method practiced by famous speakers like Steve Jobs, Martin Luther King Jr. and Barak Obama. Monroe’s Motivated Sequence is a technique for structuring persuasive talks that inspire people to take action. It was developed in the mid-1930s by Alan H. Monroe at Purdue University.[1]

Step 1: Capture the attention.

The first step is to make your audience want to listen to you:

• With shocking statistics
• With a quote
• With your sense of humor
• With a shocking statement.

Step 2: Indicate the need

The second step is to tell your audience why you’re talking to them: you need something from them. State the problem clearly, in a way that makes the audience feel uncomfortable or dissatisfied.

Step 3: Satisfaction

Here is the most important part of your speech. You will announce to the audience how you will satisfy the need mentioned. Present your plan concisely. Keep the audience engaged by using storytelling to show how your solution will solve the discomfort or dissatisfaction they felt earlier.

Step 4: Visualization

Call on the imagination! What is possible this year? Tell them about the future ahead, with your solution at the center of the action.

Step 5: Call to action

What is the first step everyone can take today to contribute to the goal?

The advantage of Monroe’s motivated sequence is that it emphasizes what people can actually do while evoking emotions and imagination. Too often, when we make a speech that tries to be persuasive, we have the impression that a situation is hopeless. It also helps the audience feel as if the presenter really understands the problem at hand.  Your team will no doubt find that you are an inspiring leader because your speech will be engaging, clear and highlight next steps. This technique is also versatile because you can use it for team meetings or large conferences as well as to mobilize hybrid teams.

Need advice on how to mobilize your team? The consultants and coaches at Iceberg Management are ready to collaborate with you now.

[1] http://changingminds.org/techniques/general/overall/monroe_sequence.htm