Margaret’s Persuasion Coach Blog
Cold & Warm
You all know what extraordinary cold we’ve had. Some know that, here on the Gulf coast, with a semi-tropical climate, our suppliers of electricity, water, internet and TV have been overwhelmed. But there’s also warm news.
Part IIIB, Lessons from the Capitol, Healthy News Substance
In Part IIIA of this series, you learned about healthy news quantity. Now let’s make the substance or quality of your news healthier. Do you think the reporters on PBS, BBC and BBCA are dull or boring? Well guess what? That’s what professional, ethical news reporting looks like.
Part IIIA, Lessons from the Capitol, Healthy News Quantity
A few days ago, I heard about a new book–Hate Inc.: Why today’s Media Makes Us Despise One Another by Matt Taibbi. The title took the words right out of my mouth. But how, then, to stay informed?
Part II, Lessons from the Capitol, Healthy Use of Social Media
Those who attempt to “discuss” politics on social media not only harm themselves, they also harm their own causes. Yet, for many people, some social media use is necessary. Here are ways to stay healthy out there.
Part I, Lessons from the Capitol, Ashli Babbitt and Twitter
Ashli Babbitt was not a victim of a police officer trying to do his job in unprecedented, shocking pandemonium. Nor was she a victim of Congress nor of the media. Rather, she was a victim of the methods of communication in which she became enmeshed–social media and fringe online sources.
Thoughts for a New Year
My goodness. What to say about 2020? Perhaps it’s better to offer a few miscellaneous ideas for 2021: Rethink Resolutions; Stay the Course on COVID19; Say, “Good Morning.”
Plan (Safely) Happy Holidays
You can give the best present ever to yourself, your family and friends, your community, your country and this earth by planning a safe celebration. It isn’t very difficult, and it doesn’t mean you won’t get to see your loved ones.
Don’t Discount Your Influence
Many people underestimate their influence, especially if they don’t get immediate agreement from another person. But you can have a bigger impact than you imagine…Last April, a friend I’ll call “Ed” told me he planned to fly out of state and return a week or two later. Ed believes…
Think, “Nothing I Can Do About…”? Think again!
In one of my favorite scenes from The Lord of the Rings, elf queen Galadriel tells Frodo, a 3'6" hobbit, "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future." Frodo goes on to save the civilized world, completing a Herculean task that would have daunted the...
Compensating for Social Distance
“Face Value” by Sara Eckels [1] confirms my teaching that no other form of communication can compete with face-to-face conversation. Video conferencing, as real as it seems, lacks many subtle aspects of in-person talk…We can help ourselves right now.