You want to convince someone and get a commitment? Here's where it starts:

Now that I've covered 2 out of 3 results (or fruits) coming from energation, I have people asking me about the third one, too. In fact, since we began with the end in mind, here's the first one - the Born Buying Desire (BBD). See also the visual illustration found in the previous blog post.

BBD is just what it says, "the born buying desire that results from passion (not just faked artificial enthusiasm) and all that it includes". Since examples are always so much easier to appreciate than a bunch of abstract explanations, here's another personal story - this time about one of the times I seriously failed:

I was once delegated an important speaking assignment representing the President of a huge organization. At the time I was very busy. Life was hectic, the schedule packed with pressing issues, several inexperienced individuals demanded my personal and emotional attention and before I knew it I was being introduced as the main speaker and on my way up to the stand. On a normal day I would have taken a few notes and spent some time thinking about what I was about to say. However, my trust rested with the notes I had received the preceding day. I had heard the speech before. My task was simple - I thought - I just needed to copy the success of the author, the President himself. After all, the power is in the message, I thought, as I made my final steps to face the waiting crowd.

Boy, was I mistaken! The average listener probably got the idea, it came out all right, but it was such a disappointing experience for me. There was no passion or energy. I wasn't behind what was being said. The words were from someone else. Though interesting and important they didn't carry the same power or effect in that big room. Loud speakers didn't help a thing. Actually, the sound system only reinforced my failure to spark that vibrant resonance - those vibes we all know so well.

Only two of those present had heard the same speech by the president himself, and I knew they were disappointed. They knew the difference. I knew the difference. There and then, I decided to never let down my audience again by speaking without passion.

Passion is not equal to enthusiasm. Not at all. When we have passion it's possible to speak quite "normally" without having to make big gestures, speak too loud or appear "psyched up". With passion we can even whisper and the vibes are still there! Before any public speaking assignment I'm always deep into the Operational dialog with myself. People may not see it, but it almost automatically happens. I do so because THAT's what inspires and frees that needed form of energy. If I take notes, it only serves to help me strengthen the passion that's already there, but notes remain secondary. Without passion, notes are worthless.

Every successful communicator knows about the Operational dialog - the conversation (either internally with self or others) that gives birth to the buying desire - the first of three steps to foster real commitment in others. It needs to be applied in every setting where we aim for a commitment of some kind. The Operational dialog is the commitment of self that precedes the commitment of others.

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