Chapter 46 Ways to get approval from the audience

People who know how to speak well will get many "yes" responses from the audience at the beginning.This can lead the other party into a certain direction.Just like a billiard ball, you originally hit one direction, but as long as there is a slight deviation, when the ball hits back, it will be completely opposite to the direction you expected. Getting a "yes" response from your audience is a simple technique that most people overlook.Some people may think that putting forward opinions contrary to their own at the beginning can show their importance and assertiveness.In fact, what good does it do?If you just want some bickering fun, maybe you can, but if you want to achieve something, it's foolish to do so.

Whether it is a student, a customer, a child, a husband or a wife, once you start saying "no", it is difficult for even a wise angel to turn the tide. So, how to get the audience's approval reaction at the beginning of the conversation?Very simple.Lincoln once said, "My method is, first you have to find a point of reference that everyone can agree on." Lincoln found that this method was still effective even when discussing the extremely sensitive issue of slavery.In a report describing Lincoln's conversation, it is said: "For the first half hour, his opponent agreed with every word he said. In the end, the direction is completely under his control."

In many debates, no matter how different the parties may be, there is usually a point of reference on which both parties agree.An example: On February 3, 1960, British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan delivered a speech to the Parliament of the Union of South Africa.At that time, South Africa was still implementing the apartheid policy, so Prime Minister Macmillan expressed Britain's views on racial policy in South Africa's Legislative Yuan.Was he opposed to such a policy from the start?No.He began by emphasizing South Africa's many achievements in the economy, its contribution to the rest of the world, and so on.Then the question is skillfully brought to a different point of view.Even so, he keeps saying that these points of difference are based on beliefs that differ from each other.

"As a citizen of the Kingdom of Great Britain, we would very much like to extend our support and encouragement to South Africa. But let me be blunt, you have many policies that make it very difficult for us to support and encourage you. In our homeland, we have always Committed to equality in political standing. I know that we should not take credit or blame each other, but treat each other as friends. The truth is that in today's world, we still have many differences of opinion from each other. No matter how different your view is from the speaker's, there should be a good chance that you will accept his point of view because of the impartiality displayed by the speaker.