Airport TSA, Persuastion Tactics, and Speech Writing Block
Ever get stuck in preparing a speech? Here is a speech writing technique that annihilates speech writer’s block.
It’s a technique which creates a memorable section of your speech which audiences love and remember.
Here is the speech writing technique:
Tell a personal story and then share two or three lessons or tips.
Read this real world speech example of how I used the technique:
Recently our family went on vacation. We were anticipating the fun and relaxation, but dreading the airport security.
We approached security lugging five carryon’s, a laptop computer, a stroller, an active 18 month old, and two bottles of apple juice over the three ounce limit.
After clearing the initial identification checkpoint, you know what happened next. The security-check dance began.
Belts are removed. Wallets and shoes tossed into tubs. All the while seeking to keep an 18 month old corralled.
My wife and I make it through the scanner, start collecting our personal belongings and keep an eye out for anyone accidently grabbing one of our bags.
A tall dark haired TSA agent approached.
In one hand he held our daughter’s pink diaper bag and in the other hand he held two bottles of apple juice. Clearly more than three ounces.
Busted.
The TSA website claimed the that having a toddler allowed us a green pass on the juice.
Mr. TSA looked at me and said, “Sir, you can either open the apple juice and let us test them for explosives or we can pat you down and search all your bags.”
I paused.
Glanced at our overstuffed bags, the blue gloves, and made the no brainer choice.
“You can test them!”
Surprise, surprise. The apple juice was found non-explosive.
This experience illustrated of three tips in getting people to do what we ask.
1. Be polite and treat people with respect.
We like to be treated with respect. Politeness makes us more willing to follow the another person’s wishes.
Combining a respectful attitude with “please”, “thank-you”, “Sir”, “Ma’am”, and other polite words increase our persuasive powers.
2. Give people a choice
Mr. TSA did not order me to open the apple juice. He gave me two choices. I may have internally bulked at the thought of opening the sealed Juice, but suddenly it seemed like a great choice when compared with a pat down and search.
A friend of mine used to work as a babysitter. She said she would give the kids choices instead of orders.
“Would you like to read this book or that book?”
“Would you like to go to bed now or stay up and washes the dishes with me?”
This is a powerful persuasive technique for adults and children.
3. Make requests instead of orders.
Earlier a TSA agent said, “Could you take your daughter out of the stroller?”
Sounds better than, “Take your daughter out of the stroller!”
Requests can still have the same authority as orders, but are much more palatable to us.
Turn your orders into requests.
“Could you pick up this report?”
“Would you have time to…”
I’ll never forget that experience nor the persuasion tips it illustrated.
Do you see how this technique will keep the audience’s attention?
When you get stuck in speech preparation or want to spruce up your speech, choose a personal story and then share several lessons from it.
Your audience will love it.
