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Winning Ugly

Started by Friday, August 08, 2009, 06:49 AM NHFT

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Friday

I found this article by Michael Cloud thought-provoking and thought I'd share it (just replace the phrase "small government" with "no government"):

#271: Get 3 Times the Libertarian Persuasion Results with Brad Gilbert's "Winning Ugly" Insight

by Michael Cloud

"How the hell does Brad Gilbert win matches? He hits like a caveman who found a tennis racket!" -- comment made about the player who earned $5 million in pro tennis tournament prize money... by "Winning Ugly."

How does a less skilled tennis player defeat better players?

How did he frustrate and beat 27-year-old tennis champion John McEnroe into retiring from tennis?

Later, as a world class tennis coach, what did he do to help Andre Agassi come back from a huge tennis slump -- to, once again, being ranked Number 1?

What is Brad Gilbert's insight -- the insight that can make you three times as effective in your libertarian persuasion?

Here's how he describes it in tennis:

"Most players will bust their buns to improve a particular stroke. They'll take lessons, hit on the ball machine, bang against the backboard, practice in the hot sun... Then, having improved whatever stroke they're trying to perfect, they won't spend a minute figuring out how to use it to maximum effect during a match." (From the book Winning Ugly by Brad Gilbert and Steve Jamison.)

Strong skills, but no strategy for when and how and where to use them to maximum effect.

A well-equipped tool box, but no thought given to when and where and how to use each tool to maximum advantage.

Excellent training, but no game plan.

Brad Gilbert made strategy his strongest skill. Strategy amplifies and multiplies all the skills you have.

And his elegant insight can make you three times as effective at libertarian
persuasion.

Go to your copy of Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion. Maybe you've practiced and Secrets covermastered these five techniques: "The Magic If," "The Reverse," "The Turnaround," "Turbocharge with Benefits," and "The Personal Ad Approach."

Excellent! A great first step.

Here's the next step: apply Brad Gilbert's Strategy Insight and figure out who, what, when, where, how, and why to use each technique to maximum advantage.

* Who can you use "The Magic If" with to get the best results?

* What would "The Reverse" work best in response to?

* When is "the Turnaround" the most powerful tool?

* Where can you get the most bang for the buck from "Turbocharge with Benefits"?

* How can you apply "The Personal Ad Approach" so it has maximum impact?

* Why use this technique here? Why not use that one? Why does it or does it not give you the biggest advantage?

Tools and techniques, knowledge and skills are not enough.

You must think, plan, and act strategically.

Start thinking about and planning to use each persuasion skill for maximum leverage.

Start applying and acting on your strategic persuasion insights.

At first, you'll be Winning Ugly. Then you might begin Winning Beautifully. But you will win more and more people to the cause of small government and libertarianism.

Lloyd Danforth

"Winning isn't everything, but loosing is nothing"

TackleTheWorld

Quote from: Friday on August 08, 2009, 06:49 AM NHFT
Go to your copy of Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion. Maybe you've practiced and Secrets covermastered these five techniques: "The Magic If," "The Reverse," "The Turnaround," "Turbocharge with Benefits," and "The Personal Ad Approach."
[?]
No, what are those?

Friday

Quote from: TackleTheWorld on August 08, 2009, 10:26 AM NHFT
Quote from: Friday on August 08, 2009, 06:49 AM NHFT
Go to your copy of Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion. Maybe you've practiced and Secrets covermastered these five techniques: "The Magic If," "The Reverse," "The Turnaround," "Turbocharge with Benefits," and "The Personal Ad Approach."
[?]
No, what are those?
Sorry, I don't own Cloud's book so I can't tell you. 

Russell Kanning

i will probably use this more on the tennis court than talkiing with people

TackleTheWorld

So if we don't know the content, was it the strategy that provoked your thoughts, Friday?
I'd call it the feel-it-in-your-gut strategy.  What do you think?

Friday

Quote from: TackleTheWorld on August 09, 2009, 10:01 AM NHFT
So if we don't know the content, was it the strategy that provoked your thoughts, Friday?
I'd call it the feel-it-in-your-gut strategy.  What do you think?
I think we've interpreted the article in different ways.  To me, the items from Cloud's book were just examples of specific acts one might take.  Running for office, performing CD, and writing articles are other acts one might take.  But the point of the article, to me, was that focusing on, or even mastering, specific acts, isn't necessarily enough to win/succeed.  You need to put the acts in the context of a strategy.  That's what I took away from the article.

EthanLeeVita

I concur with Friday's assessment of putting the specific skill/actions to use within an overall strategy. In this way, even if each skill/action is less refined, you are using them in a meaningful way for success rather than just having a really refined skill/action that you don't know how to implement.

Russell Kanning

we used to call them practice stars in basketball
no reason to practice a shot, if you will never use it in a game ... or especially under pressure
i think many people are attracted to our movement because we are doing some of the things we talk about

TackleTheWorld

I'm confused, I thought it was talking about forgeting strategy and just play what you feel during the game.

Quote from: Friday on August 08, 2009, 06:49 AM NHFT
Strong skills, but no strategy for when and how and where to use them to maximum effect.

Friday

No, it's saying just the opposite!  The line you quote is what the author is saying is not effective.

Quote
"Most players will bust their buns to improve a particular stroke. They'll take lessons, hit on the ball machine, bang against the backboard, practice in the hot sun... Then, having improved whatever stroke they're trying to perfect, they won't spend a minute figuring out how to use it to maximum effect during a match." (From the book Winning Ugly by Brad Gilbert and Steve Jamison.)

Strong skills, but no strategy for when and how and where to use them to maximum effect.

A well-equipped tool box, but no thought given to when and where and how to use each tool to maximum advantage.

Excellent training, but no game plan.

dalebert

Maybe the reason some people fail to be persuasive is because they are treating life like it's a game that you win against an opponent by using a strategy. A game has to have winners and losers. If you're using a strategy against someone, it's like you're trying to trick them. Maybe the trick to being persuasive is to live your life as honestly and consistently as you can. I think a person's veracity is directly linked to believing yourself when you speak. Are you saying something you really believe in yourself or are you just saying what you think the other person wants to hear? Are you trying to speak the truth or are you trying to be popular?

Just at thought. Just brainstorming.

TackleTheWorld

Excellent point, Dale, but  being honest and consistent is a strategy too.

TackleTheWorld

Quote from: Friday on August 08, 2009, 06:49 AM NHFT
Brad Gilbert made strategy his strongest skill. Strategy amplifies and multiplies all the skills you have.
Ah, that's what I missed.  Thanks.

Did you see ways to use maximum advantage in your life after reading this?

Friday

Quote from: dalebert on August 10, 2009, 12:31 PM NHFT
Maybe the trick to being persuasive is to live your life as honestly and consistently as you can. I think a person's veracity is directly linked to believing yourself when you speak. Are you saying something you really believe in yourself or are you just saying what you think the other person wants to hear? Are you trying to speak the truth or are you trying to be popular?

Just at thought. Just brainstorming.

Dale, I think what you're getting at is that you believe substance over style is persuasive. And my impression of life is that it doesn't work this way at all!  

I think most people who have known me throughout my life would agree that I am a pretty honest and sincere person.  And God KNOWS I don't say things to be popular.  Does that mean people therefore find me persuasive?  Absolutely not.  In fact, I had one prominent FSPer tell me he decided to believe the exact *opposite* of what I was arguing because of my argument (which, frankly, made me feel like shit, but oh well, at least he was honest).  

I've had many people tell me I'm a wonderful writer, they love my blog, blah blah blah... but as far as I'm aware, it hasn't changed one person's mind about anything.  This is a perfect example of the article I posted: I have skill in one area, but after years of effort, it hasn't translated into the results I want i.e. more libertarians in New Hampshire.

Whereas, I've known plenty of people who were lying, cheating scoundrels, but they were charming and likable and apparently persuasive.

There are sort of two subjects in this discussion now:  are random actions without an underlying strategy maximally productive?  And which is more persuasive, style or substance?