How to Be Persuasive Using the Right Language Cues

The problem with being a villian is that, well, you have to communicate like one. Villains don't explain, they command. 

It was a cold, gray morning and the Wicked Witch’s castle was chilled to the ramparts. The Witch called to her minions. “The weather disappoints!” she proclaimed. “Fix it immediately!”

Her minions scurried out of the room. She heard hammering outside, and smiled, imagining the wonderful wood-burning heater they were going to have for her in just a few moments. They wheeled in a large metal box, on wooden rollers. “Voila!”, cried the head minion, “it bends space and time and turns the snow pure white.” Pure white. White snow. W-T-F?

The Wicked Witch buried her head in her hands. 

Communication is Difficult

Some of the Wicked Witch’s problems are simply communication. She knows exactly what she wants: warmth! Either a heater or maybe little booties to protect her feet. But the language she’s using isn’t language that will work with minions. That’s because to get your message across, you need to send it in ways that work for everyone.

In my career—and I have been doing public speaking and training professionally for years—it seems one distinction is very, very important in crafting your message: the difference between abstract and concrete.

Abstract vs. Concrete Language

Abstract thinking drives progress

One of the things that separates Human from Beast is that humans can think abstractly. We give words to things, and then act as if those words are real. A Beast can say “R-o-o-o-a-r!” That's about it. The Wicked Witch can say “The weather disappoints! Fix it!” The words “weather,” “disappoints,” and “fix” are abstract. They refer to concepts and broad categories, not specifics. 

Abstraction drives pretty much all human progress. Without it, we couldn’t have language. We wouldn’t have science, or mathematics, or engineering. How would you feel about that? (pause) I’ll bet you thought something like, “OK. I guess that’s bad. But at least school would have been easier.”

Concrete thinking drives action

But you also wouldn’t have kitty pictures. You wouldn’t have stereos for dance parties. You wouldn’t have People Magazine or Oprah. You wouldn’t have the websites you keep open in your other browser tabs. And you wouldn’t have smartphones to take selfies and post on Instagram. Now you’re thinking: “ARGH!!!! Gu… sp… how… ARGH!!!...

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