Description

In today’s episode of the Centricity podcast, our host Sean Doyle meets with NYT-bestselling author Jonah Berger to discuss his book Magic Words. They discuss the science behind the impact of words and how we can increase our impact simply by consciously adjusting how we communicate.

Language of “Identity”

• People are more likely to be motivated to do something if they think it reflects who they are or want to become.

• Berger offers several examples, including one that asked children to “help clean up,” vs. asking them to “be a helper,” and the latter was more effective persuasively. This works for adults, too!

“Concrete” Language

• When most people make a bold claim, they will “hedge”, or add in language of uncertainty.

• Berger recommends doing away with hedging and focusing on definite, clear terms if you want to exude confidence.

Resources

Magic Words by Jonah Berger on Amazon

For FREE resources on the SPEACC framework, check out Jonah Berger’s website, http://jonahberger.com

If you’d like to connect with Jonah, you can find him @J1Berger on Twitter, or if you search Jonah Berger on LinkedIn!