Persuasive Speech

In the following book report I will discuss a book I read recently called "Everyone Communicates Few Connect; what the most effective people do differently" by John C. Maxwell. I will examine the role of persuasion in this book and connect it to our class by answering a few questions about this role. To begin I will give a brief summary about the book and describe each chapters message or step to teach you to "connect". Then I will examine the role of persuasion through my eyes and finally, through the lens of answering four specific questions.

The book has ten sub-topics that fall under two parts; connecting principles and connecting practices. Part one, connecting principles begins with establishing the benefits of this concept "connecting". Mr. Maxwell contends that people cannot survive without communication and that "connecting" is the key to good communication and leadership. He defines "connecting" as the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence on them. When he uses this definition there are some obvious attractive qualities. Anything that "increases your influence" on someone else will usually be looked at as a positive for anyone. To be successful, you must work with others and the best way to accomplish that is to learn to "connect". Connecting is also a key to leadership because the ability to relate to those you are leading is an invaluable asset to a leader. However, connecting it not limited to a leadership context, in fact it is something that is valuable to every aspect of life in which interpersonal communication is involved, which can be almost everything. Mr. Maxwell explains how he knows everyone can connect by citing his past in which connecting came very hard to him and if he can learn, anyone can. A specific example illustrates how humor became a key connecting tool he learned at a younger age. He then outlines the steps he went through to learn how to change his behaviors of not being able to connect. A section I liked contends that the ability to connect begins with your attitude and understanding the value of people. The author then uses this introduction of sorts into "connecting" to give an outline of how he can help you learn to connect. The principles behind connecting are: focusing on others, expanding your connecting vocabulary beyond just words, marshaling your energy for connecting, and gaining insight in how great connectors connect and the practical skills of connecting are: finding common ground, making your communication simple, capturing people interest, inspiring them, and being authentic. Since this book report is about connecting this book to persuasion I will give only a brief description of a few principles and practical skills and delve into any pertinent ones in the next section when I connect persuasion concepts to the book. The outline concludes with the assertion that the book will be focusing on connecting with people on three different levels: one-on-one, in a group, and with an audience. The author then provides some specific tips for connecting in each context. One-on-one is considered most important because eighty to ninety percent of all connecting occurs on this level and it is where you connect with the people most important to you. To connect in groups he suggests taking the initiative and looking for ways to compliment group members and add to their value, not taking credit for successes or cast blame for failure and celebrate success together. To connect with an audience the author suggests one of the best ways of learning is to observe a communicator who is good at it. A few other things were to let the audience know you are excited to be with them, communicate your desire to add value to them as people, to let them know how they add value to you and tell them your time with them is your highest priority that day. This brings the introduction chapter outlining connecting and giving you the basics for the author's strategy of better connecting.

The first principle of connecting is that it is all about others. He begins this proclamation by telling a story about a trip he took his wife on. He had gone on the trip before and it was an amazing experience so he really wanted her to share in his enjoyment. However, the second time he went they got a guide much different from his first trip that was not interested in any of the tourists questions or pictures and was only worried about droning on with boring facts. Needless to say the trip was much less invigorating and he was pointing out that the guide's lack of care towards the tourists in his group resulted in a much worse connection and in turn, a bad experience. He then goes on to talk about our ego and need to feel important and how we must overcome this natural feeling to understand that connecting isn't about what we think and correcting others, but rather relating to them. The next principle is that connection goes beyond words and has some obvious correlations to what we have learned in class. The part I liked most from this section is labeled your actions speak so loudly, I can't hear your words. A statistic in the book says that only seven percent of what people believe is communicated by what we say, the way we say it accounts for thirty-eight percent and what others see accounts for the other fifty-five percent. A dilemma arises if you do not know how to effectively communicate besides using words so he discusses a strategy of three essential components to effective communication: Thought- something we know, Emotion- something we feel, and Action- something we do. Mr.