By Zig Ziglar
A few days after my second daughter was born, I had to take a trip over to South Carolina from our Knoxville, Tennessee, home. On the way back, a sudden snow storm left me and a few hundred other motorists stranded for the night. Fortunately, I was stranded directly behind a nice, warm Greyhound bus. The driver was kind enough to permit me to climb aboard and spend the night. The next morning the highways were cleared and I drove on home.
I had no sooner pulled into the driveway and gotten inside my house than my wife said we needed more baby supplies. I slipped my heavy coat back on and was headed for the door when my soon-to-be four-year-old daughter, Suzan, said, “Daddy, take me with you.” I explained to her that the weather was bad, I would only be gone a few minutes, and it would be best for her to stay home. As only a four-year-old can, she said, “But, Daddy, I will be so lonely.” I said, “Now, Doll, your mother is here and so is your new baby sister, and Lizzie (who was our live-in nanny) is here.” Then she looked at me and said, “But, Daddy, I’ll be lonely for you.” I don’t need to tell you that she went with me to the store that day.
In retrospect, that is persuasion at its absolute best – straight from the heart, without guile and without any subterfuge. In a direct, simple way she had made me feel important – I was the one she was going to be lonely for. I believe that if we will play it straight, speak from the heart, and be open and direct with people in a loving way, we will improve our communication skills dramatically and our persuasiveness will go up. Think about it. Speak from the heart, and I’ll SEE YOU AT THE TOP!
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