Healthy Influence Blog

Today I’m the Persuasion Prophet who knows all the Laws that mere mortals will never understand.  I’ve intuited that Mr. Obama seeks inspiration on the Long War and leading the American people through It.  He has one large goal:  Persuading Americans to fight the Long War.  Mr. President . . .

. . . the facts on the ground compel you to do what George Bush did:  Fight the Long War.  You see that the Long War is more similar to the Cold War than any hot war and therefore requires a longer and wider approach to the problem.  The Long War, like the Cold War, will demand an enduring, persistent, and committed effort from a large majority of Americans.

All polls now show retreating support for the Long War and no matter what specific policy you follow, you must reverse the ebbing tide.  You know that your policy in the Long War will not produce a victory march down 5th Avenue, so if you do not build a strong consensus behind the Long War, you will deserve the beating you get before 2012.  Pursue, then, two aims:  Affirmation and Attribution.

Before you announce any policy on the Long War, spend time affirming the core beliefs of those citizens who are against the Long War.  You know what these beliefs are because most of the people against the Long War are in your party and probably voted for you in 2010.  You know the key values, attitudes, and beliefs that form the core of their self concept and self esteem and drive their actions.

Affirm those beliefs first.  Describe them with poetry.  Make your listeners feel those beliefs.  Congratulate them on those beliefs.  Make them think about those beliefs and why they are important.  Make them think about times in the past when they’ve stood up for those beliefs.  Make them affirm for themselves those beliefs.

Now that you have affirmed them and they have affirmed themselves, you can do what you know how to do:  You can explain the rationale and the policy they now resist.  Describe your careful and thorough analysis of the Long War.  Explain why the Long War will be fought and won.  Tell them the specific actions needed right now.  In other words, give the speech.

But, affirm them first and have them affirm themselves.  You are telling them to change and as my Rule states:  All People Always Resist Big Change.  They resist because no one like change and change implies prior stupidity, foolishness, or error and no one wants to admit living a mistake.  You are disputing their fundamentals and if you do not make them strong on their core values through self-affirmation, they will not be strong enough to change with you.

Now . . .

. . . you must change people’s attributions for the Long War.  People have come to view It as someone else’s responsibility.  It was Mr. Bush’s War and It now is becoming Mr. Obama’s War.  This is the wrong attribution of causality.  It should be Our War.

You want to avoid using referents to yourself (“I am directing the Secretary of Defense . . .”) as much as possible.  Sure, you need to take public responsibility for your actions, but you do not want to make it appear that your listeners are not active participants in the decision.  The more often you say or imply “I” with a belief or action, the less committed and responsible your listeners will feel.  “Hey, it’s his job and his decision.”

You want your listeners to not just accept your decision, but to take it as a joint action.  “We” are fighting the Long War.  Therefore, focus your “I” statements for the largest decisions, and use “we” and “you” language to attract, commit, and bind your listeners with you and the decisions.

“As we now prudently consider the facts on the ground just described, we know that when we go forward we go forward together.”

“You have taken the past few weeks to think about this issue and you now listen and reflect on these words.  You know that this is a great issue that requires your commitment, that you cannot simply stand on the sidelines and watch others act.  You are a part of this issue.”

“We do not take these actions lightly or for selfish benefit.”

You must use the language of inclusive responsibility, of shared commitment.  Where it is only and exclusively a President’s choice, you say “I” or “Me.”  Otherwise and at every opportunity the words are “you” and “we” and “us.”  Connect the American people to this issue or else make it for yourself alone, Mr. Obama’s War.

Through the aims of affirmation and attribution you can achieve the goal of bringing Americans together to this challenge.  You can make people strong enough to change then strong enough to claim the Long War.

Just a thought from the Persuasion Prophet!