Words are a window into the soul, and specific words can generate a reaction, communication professional Frank Luntz says. Frank talks with Dr. Oz and Lisa Oz about his book Words That Work, the importance of words in politics and how to use words to your advantage. Plus, Frank offers advice on how to become a more effective communicator:
Prevent message mistakes. "You've got to set context at the beginning," Frank says.
Battle of the sexes. Frank says men want to speak; women want to be heard. If a man's not listening to a woman, she feels like she's failing, he says. Likewise, if a man's not communicating, he feels like he's failing. "Women make far better communicators when it comes to corporate America because they are much more likely to speak from the heart and speak emotionally," Frank says.
Getting the order right. The order of information is essential in setting the context. "Politicians often forget," Frank says. "They lose the explanation, so it doesn't have the impact that it could."
Word choice determines how your message is received. Frank gives an example in which people were asked if they would deny someone something or not give it. In this case, deny is the more powerful word that people will have a stronger reaction to. "'Denying it' says you have a right to it; 'not giving it' says you had a choice," Frank says.
Printed from Oprah.com on Wednesday, June 19, 2013
