I would like to begin to share with you some very simple language patterns.
They can go a long way to help you to enhance your communication skills, and in particular, help you to become more influential and persuasive.
I think it’s fair to say that in life your ability to succeed will to a large degree depend upon how well you communicate and how influential and persuasive you really are.
The three patterns we will cover in a very brief session are:
Cause and Effect
Complex Equivalences and the very simple linkage word
“AND”.
Now let’s look at Cause and Effect.
Initially we look for the outcome.
What do you want to achieve?
What is the objective?
Let’s call that “y”.
Now we look for something that is already happening, some sort of a fact.
We call this “x”.
The idea is to link “x” to “y” in a way that seems to link the two together as if they rightly belong together.
We use a cause and effect word to accomplish this.
So, for example, you might say something like:
“The fact that you’re listening to this causes you to want to use this pattern in your everyday life.”
A softener can be used to make it more agreeable, more acceptable.
Here we might say:
“The fact that you’re listening to this may cause you to use this pattern in your daily interactions to improve your persuasive skills.“
There are other cause and effect words besides “cause” including allows, creates, makes, and the word because.
In fact, the word “because” itself is a very powerful word.
Now let’s look at complex equivalences.
Here a very similar process is used. Look for the outcome again and call that “y”.
Then we look for something that is already happening, and we call this “x”.
Now we link the two together with complex equivalences word such as “means”.
So “x” means “y”.
“The fact that you’re listening to this means you want to take your skills to the next level.”
And again we can use a softener:
“The fact that you’re listening to this perhaps means you want to take your skills in a new direction.”
Now the word “because” which is a cause and effect word, is a very powerful as I’ve just mentioned.
This is because most people respond to a request if you give them a reason, even if the reason itself is not that persuasive, not that powerful.
They seem to still respond.
“So, because you’re listening to this you may want to take your skills in a new direction.”
It seems to make the statement more compelling.
“Because you’re listening to this you want to do so and so.”
So use the word because more liberally in your everyday engagements.
You will find what you say is more acceptable and people will respond almost always to whatever it is you are requesting.
The third pattern is the simple linkage word “AND”.
Here we make two statements linked together with the word “AND”.
It seems to give the impression that somehow the two are connected, even though they may have nothing in common.
So, for example, you might say: “You are sitting here and learning.”
It just gives the impression that somehow these two statements are connected.”
So, these are three simple language patterns that can be used to great effect.
Cause and effect, ”x” causes “y”,
Complex equivalences, “x” means “y”,
and the linkage word “AND” to link two statements together.