WTF - Words That Fail - Lose'em

What business are you really in?

Sure, you help people buy and sell real estate, if all goes well, in the end there's a "closing".

But, how does it all begin?

I believe it begins with a conversation, which leads to connection, then discovery,  then you provide solutions/services, your solutions/services lead to getting hired and or referred.

Does that sound right to you?

If you believe it all starts with conversation (presentation?, perception? communication?) then the words you choose to use and the words you choose to lose will destroy, poison and neuter or build,enrich and create relationships cozy with trust, confidence, peace, love and understanding?

Right?

Words matter and here's clinical proof.  In 1974, Elizabeth Loftus and Palmer carried out a psychosocial study called, "Reconstruction Of Automobile Destruction".

In this study forty five students from the University of Washington were shown seven film clips of car accidents. The clips ranged from five to thirty seconds long.  After viewing each clip the students were asked to write a report on what they had seen. They were asked a series of questions about the videos. The critical question in this study was "At what speed was the car traveling?" The five categories of students were asked this question but with a different verb (shown below). Loftus and Palmer wanted to see if the verb influenced the students (eye witnesses) answers.

1) About how fast were the cars going when they collided with each other?

2) About how fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other

3) About how fast were the cars going when they bumped into each other?

4) About how fast were the cars going when they hit each other?

5) About how fast were the cars going when they contacted each other?

Here's the thing, all watched the same video, yet based on the verb answeres varied from 31.8mph to 40.8mph.  Hmmmmm.....

Amazing, but it makes sense, we know specific words have power, choosing your verbs and the words we converse and connect with can and do make all the difference...whether we are aware or not.

I'm wondering, on average, how much time do you and I invest in consciously reviewing and recreating the words, sentences, statements, comments and communications we use in our business and personal relationships?   

It all starts with conversation...where do you and I go from here?

I'll share a few ideas week after next.  My posting will be light this next week.  I'm headed to Austin this next week.  Taking a Wizard Academy class, then off to Boston, big BU graduation for Heather.

Rock on my friends.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Without order nothing can exist - without chaos nothing can evolve."