00 Presenting Your Position - respectfully

First impressions set the future relationship between friends and strangers

1. Focus on Facts - A strong argument is one that uses facts over opinion. 
2. Don't Get Personal - Avoid at all costs and focus on illustrating why you feel the way you do. 
3. Recognize the Good - it's best if you can preface it with something that you like about that person's original suggestion - and then use that as a launching point for your own idea.
4. Remember to Listen - Actually listen to the points your conversational partner is presenting. 
5. Use "I" Statements - Use "I" statements when disagreeing with someone. It's a subtle way to illustrate that your disagreement isn't a personal attack.
6. Know When to Move On - The most important piece of respectfully disagreeing with someone is knowing when you need to just call it quits and move on.

Read: 6 Tips for Disagreeing Respectfully

** Intro Persuasion ... and how others use it

Here is what I mean ... 
(this is so important - it will be a long discussion)


.. Almost every relationship is driven by money, control or influence
.. We believe 'communication' is to inform and share information - not so!
.. Communication (in any form) is primarily used change one's behavior
.. Why communicate? ... to change one's position or behavior to yours/theirs
..  With social media, kae news, conspiracy theories, 24 hour news and video plus mobile apps, it is very difficult for anyone to separate truth from fiction 
.. Your weapon - understanding

** Note: Those using communication to change your behavior are: Social Media, Politicians, News Outlets, Sports Stars, Actors & Actresses, Websites, Drug Companies, Teachers, Professors, Pastors, Friends, School mates and Family


Influencers:

TV Commercials and Ads: to convince you to purchase their products whether you need it or not. How? - by showing you false happiness and excitement if you own their product plus how others will think of you 

News Outlets/Websites: (more appropriately named Opinion Outlets) work very hard to introduce and repeat political positions so you 1) accept their opinion as your own and 2) promote that opinion to others and 3) attract viewers so they can increase advertising revenue. Similarly, apps and websites work hard to attract users to visit their sites with free stuff and info ONLY to have you see advertising that they receive revenue from.

Entertainment (Actors and Sports personnel): use their notoriety and TV exposure to reinforce their name and advance their own cause or position. They do not have the education, experience or knowledge for most of the positions they stand for. Example: they openly disagree that the USA should control entry by others into the US (one way being a wall) yet they install 10 ft walls around their homes. 

Family: Yes! your Mom, Dad, Grandparents also want to influence (change or reinforce) your behavior ... but differently. We have only one thing in mind - You! The communication we provide day-to-day (and sometimes several times a day) is to give you the skills and knowledge needed to survive and prosper in a very tough world we live in today.