Anxiety Is the Price You Pay

Although many people will tell you NOT to discuss religion and politics in public, my family has always been very open in these conversations, so my sons have never been afraid to express their opinion on either subject. One night I received a distraught phone call from my 21-year old who had offended his dear friend’s mother during a debate on one of the “banned” topics. He wanted to call her in the morning to apologize but what should he say?

My advice was to put it in writing so that his words would be well chosen, hopefully well received, and he could stay focused on the apology.

This is the same advice I would give to anyone communicating with a client or employee. Put it in writing so your words are well chosen and you stay focused on the topic.

Getting started is sometimes the hardest part of scripting. Try these steps to simplify and create a compelling script.

1. Jot down all the ideas or concepts you might want to incorporate into your script.
2. Narrow the ideas down to the five most important.
3. Include specific examples to prove the points you’re making, using words or phrases such as “which means,” “therefore,” and “for example.”
4. Utilize the Litany Technique to allow the listener to concentrate on your points. This is where you say, “The number one reason I believe this is the right choice for you is… Secondly, I feel… My number three reason would be…”
5. Now write the script in the first person, meaning that you write it exactly how you would say it to the listener.

Try it, it works! Then, let me know how it worked for you.

Cynthia Whitmer Griffith is a Performance Results Network Results Consultant for Community Banks and Credit Unions at Cohen Brown Management Group, Inc.