Be sincere; be brief; be seated.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt}
Know Your
AudienceA
big key to winning is knowing where the other side is com-
ing from. Whether you are involved in negotiations, a war, or
in public speaking, this information can be invaluable. It’s also nec-
essary if you hope to connect in any way with other people. And
in keeping with FDR’s public speaking advice, getting to the point
is greatly appreciated by everyone.
A great portion of life and business involves acting. Life isa
performance art, no matter what field you are in. I’ve come to un-
derstand that fact over the years, and it’s a helpful thing to realize.
It includes people skills, negotiation skills, public relations, sales-
manship, and the ability to read your audience, whether that au-
dience is four people in your office or forty thousand at a speech.
The same technique applies.
First of all, consider this: Is there a common denominator be-
tween you? Sometimes, even the weather can be a good starting
point. Inclement or severe weather can affect all of us, whether we
are billionaires or college students. That’s an obvious one. Others