FULL-DAY COURSE OUTLINE

MODULE ONE:Professionalism and Course Goals

We never met people willing to come to work where they in turn will meet someone who will verbally abuse them or knock out their teeth during an encounter. We simply must address the fact that the world can be a dangerous place.

The very nature of dealing with people forces us to accept that some will be less than polite in their choice of words, tone of voice, or physical gestures and actions. People who lack the skills to calm and redirect the anger of others are in jeopardy. Even past the physical violence we know from our own experiences that verbal abuse is the most common form of abuse in America. We simply cannot say what we are feeling and thinking and be regarded as professionals by anyone watching, or nowadays, videotaping. Given the right conditions, we can all be difficult.

What we say is directly related to complaints received and litigious actions from our own ill-mannered behavior and words. Worry over physical safety, how to explain complaints, and how to defend our actions in court becomes very stressful. Activities outside our workplace cause additional stress that may follow us back into the work environment. People under stress pay less attention to safety, and the US Department of Labor agrees.

CONFLICTS AND STRESS COST U.S. WORKPLACES AN ESTIMATED $200 BILLION PER YEAR IN REDUCED PRODUCTIVITY, ACCIDENTS, COMPENSATION CLAIMS ABSENTEEISM, EMPLOYEE TURNOVER, HEALTH INSURANCE AND MEDICAL EXPENSES. THIS IS MORE THAN THE AFTER TAX PROFITS OF THE FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES AND 10 TIMES THE COST OF ALL STRIKES IN THE UNITED STATES COMBINED.

THE FACTS: 
   -- Up to 90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related complaints. 
   -- Up to 80% of industrial accidents are due to stress. ? Over 50% of lost workdays are stress-related. 
   -- At last reference, 14% of workers say stress caused them to quit or change jobs in the past two years.
   -- Worker's compensation awards for job stress will soon threaten to bankrupt the system in some states. Studies conducted on the above statistics came from: "Employee Burn Out: America's Newest Epidemic", by Northwestern National Life "Job Stress: The 20th Century Disease", by the UN International Labor Organization. The "Mitchum Report on Stress in the 90's"

The course then begins by addressing the most important goals of: 
   1. Increased Personal Safety 
   2. Enhanced Professionalism 
   3. Decreased Complaints 
   4. Decreased Vicarious Liability 
   5. Decreased Stress



MODULE TWO: The Art of Representation and Developing a “Habit of Mind”

We must, even under duress, never say the first thing that comes to our lips. Allowing ourselves the privilege of saying what we are thinking during high emotional periods may cause us to “MAKE THE GREATEST SPEECH WE WILL EVER REGRET!

The Verbal Judo program enables participants to deflect verbal barbs by teaching people to pay closer attention to overall behavior than to the specific attitude of people. This will put us in a better position to Generate Voluntary Compliance than if the event drops to a “personal face” level. The professional attitude addressed in Module One is now carried into a model of behavior we call The Art of Representation. Caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place (the employing organizations with rules and laws on one side and the difficult person under some form of negative influence on the other side) people, much like coal, shine like diamonds or explode from the pressure.

External things they cannot control often influence people negatively, resulting in a “Box of Influence” that for a short while will govern their behavior. The influences of not just drugs or alcohol but anger, frustration, certainty or uncertainty, lack of money, inflated ego, feelings of self-importance, or peer pressure to name only a few can create monsters from otherwise decent people. Often, these people will play to an audience or family and friends to get what they want.

Through a tactic called mediation we remove the influences by thinking better for others than they might initially think for themselves. We must do this if we are to generate voluntary compliance and leave people better than we found them at their worst, the goal of any community/government philosophy.



MODULE THREE: The Three Truths of Communication

There is a relationship to what we say and how it is understood, or in some cases misunderstood. We are not attempting to teach communication as it would be taught in a collegiate setting, nor are we totally oversimplifying the work of others. Module Three is an overview the simple practice of communicating as a process and makes it understandable in less than one hour.

The first “Truth” is succinctly put that the actual opposite of talking is waiting, not listening, as most people currently and mistakenly believe. Actual listening is a highly interactive and energy charged process. The process is active and the Habit of Mind taught earlier is crucial if we are to gather what people actually meant from what they said. We discuss the four generally accepted steps in the listening process and discuss them with participants.

The second “Truth” deals with who we actually are, how we perceive ourselves and our own behavior, and lastly, how we are perceived by the other person(s) in conversation.

The third “Truth” is devoted to the “delivery” of the information. It brings to light the need to “sell” ideas or rules to difficult people rather than simply expect them to do the right thing because it makes logical sense. To difficult people, logical arguments are often rejected out of hand because of emotion, as we will discuss later in Module Four. We expound on the simple maxim offered up by our parents, “It’s not what you say but how you say it that counts.” Fact is they were right.



MODULE FOUR: The Five Step Approach and the Four Appeals of Persuasion

Aristotle, the recognized founder of what we really define as Rhetoric, used a series of appeals to gain compliance or create understanding in why he was correct in his suppositions or theories. These four appeals are inarguable and have been the source of getting people to alter their behavior and thinking for centuries. They are: 

   1. The Ethical 
   2. The Rational 
   3. The Personal 
   4. The Practical 

More people will do things for us because they like us, respect us, or respect what we stand for than for any other reason. The first rule of sales training is “Get the customer to like you.” This personalization, or better phrased as humanization of the encounter, is crucial if we are to separate them from their money, their time, or their cooperation. In gaining compliance with rules or laws we must also be sales people who sell compliance and not a product. We must appear credible to achieve this goal. This is called the Ethical Appeal which is the source of our personal credibility.

The Rational Appeal is based upon facts, data, and evidence that are codified and legally enforceable. However most people under an influence already see themselves as reasonable so we are often forced to move from this appeal quickly. In fact, in most encounters we find that being right does not necessarily make us right. We usually find the more facts we heap upon the other person the angrier they become at both the situation and at us. Once people calm down and reflect on the situation they are more ready to listen to “reason.”

The Personal Appeal is very powerful and is attached to the Ethical Appeal. In persuasion leverage is applied by relating what we need to what they need, cutting across their experiences pictorially. The keys to using the Personal Appeal are found in what people have to gain or lose. Examples would be the gain or loss of:
   
   1. Time 
   2. Money 
   3. Family or Friends 
   4. Reputation 
   5. Value System 
  
The careful use of these five work on the individual so they can “see” the benefit of compliance. The Personal Appeal clearly demonstrates what is in it for them if they comply. It works on the personal selfish interests of the individual, which sadly, is a main source of motivation for most people under an influence. They are also the basis for coercion, which may not be our original thought but is a valid motivator when they understand what they have to lose. How this is done is critically important to those being coerced.

The Practical Appeal is a last ditch effort to gain voluntary compliance. It can be asked as a question or may be an offbeat strategy or tactic providing it does not violate the law or compromise our integrity or safety.

The four appeals are the foundation of the Five Step Approach. The five steps are: 

   1. Ask 
   2. Set a verbal Context 
   3. Create and Present Options 
   4. Confirm the non-compliance 
   5. Act appropriately

The four appeals work in tandem and harmony with the Five-Step Approach. If we are required to move beyond words we can take the appropriate action with the peace of mind that there were no other viable choices at the time. The real buy in comes from the benefits or advantages of the Five Step Approach. 

The Ten Benefits of the Five-Steps: 

   1. It gives the difficult person a choice. Some control over his or her self-destiny is gained allowing them to save face. People like a choice, even if there are only two and they don't like either of them. 

   2. It sounds good to not only the individual but to everyone around. People witnessing the event complain about your behavior if you handle others poorly. The "Five Step" Approach is the most professional process available for dealing with uncooperative people to gain their compliance or demonstrate verbal persuasion has failed. The public can clearly understand why we acted in a certain way and see what we did to avoid it. Often we create a support mechanism from within the crowd. 

   3. It looks good on your report, especially if you have used any option beyond words. It meshes with SAFER at the ACT stage and creates an outline for the written report. It reduces the creative report-writing element, because we no longer need to worry about how to make ourselves look better than we actually were during the event. 

   4. It makes the reports we write easier to read and comprehend. The Five-Step is the equivalent of an outline. It makes the report-writing chore faster and more complete. 

   5. It creates a support mechanism within the organization. Because we have a protocol in place we have a consistent method of dealing with difficult situations. People who were not there may be inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt more often because there will be less fear about how the contact was actually handled. 

   6. It looks good in a court of law. The entire "Five Step" is defensible. You can explain what happened at each step and why you moved past the last step. 

   7. It reduces the EGO effect. There is no reason to get mad because we know we can move to the next step if necessary. People usually get angry when points of view are different. We feel we have been helpful and courteous and they think otherwise. Anger results when they have run out of ideas to work out the issue peacefully. When and if we act we show professionalism and a defined professional purpose as our reason.

   8. It creates the Art of Backup. We have warned our co-workers but not the individual we are about to end the encounter. Another co-worker can enter the scene and assist because they already know where you are in the process. This looks helpful, even from the citizen's perspective by reducing the natural fear and anxiety of having people gang-up on them. 

   9. It creates a "style" of customer service. It gives us confidence to handle future encounters knowing we have a better chance of being successful. 

   10. We lessen the stress of the job. The "Five Step", done successfully, offer us the opportunity to go home and not worry about how we will explain the encounter the next day. When we have handled an encounter badly, we tend to dwell on it after the fact. If we are thinking about the previous encounter then we are not thinking about the encounter we are currently involved in. This diminishes both our attention to safety and our thoughts for customer service.


ADD-ON MODULE:
 
When we meet people for the first time we can reduce both stress and the potential for some of the conflict with a proper introduction by setting a context for what we can do to assist. Most people who need something from us enter the encounter with only a part of the information necessary to resolve their problem. They require direction from the people who work the inside of the system to help them get what they need. Consider that what people want is rarely what they need. The Meet and Greet, combined with the knowledge of how to use LEAPS (Module Five) can get information quickly and efficiently so we can help people, get them on their way, and move to the next problem. The Meet and Greet also is a very effective way to move the other to the resolution phase when used with the Five-Step.


MODULE FIVE: L.E.A.P.S., Five Tools for Persuasion 

   o Listen 
   o Empathize 
   o Ask 
   o Paraphrase 
   o Summarize

The LEAPS module is designed to ensure we understand the issue or problem, that the other person also understands we understand, and that we both depart knowing what will occur after we part company. LEAPS contains the necessary information to project we are both listening and empathizing with their difficulty. People will often work with us if they truly believe we are working on their problem.

In LEAPS we list the five basic types of questions and the two strategies to employ for keeping the other person calm and compliant. It is the only part of the actual communication process that can be viewed and is therefore important for not only generating voluntary compliance at the time we interact with the difficult person but for gaining future compliance if we meet again.

We also teach to only backup to the communication process – paraphrasing as the process of relaying back what we heard and think the other person meant in our own words and tones. We list fourteen power tools and why they are so important in being effective as a communicator. And, we teach the power of summarizing the encounter prior to ending the communication to reduce future problems and misunderstanding by creating direction, forecasting what is to happen and when, and finally stating the important parts of the meeting in a such a manner that we sound decisive.



MODULE SIX: When Words Fail 

The acronym S.A.F.E.R. defines when we must cease words and move to action. We do not define what the action should be if you move beyond words as organizations have protocols and recourse already established for such measures. SAFER concisely defines and sets the context for the action to anyone who may need to be in the know. This is most effective in punishment or in refusal of services.  

   1. When the Security of people or property under our jurisdiction is in jeopardy we must act. 

   2. When are under personal Attack we must act. 

   3. When unlawful Flight has occurred we must act. 

   4. When we are at the point of Excessive Repetition and our verbal argument is not working and is unlikely to work, we must act. 

   5. If the situation of Revised Priorities where something of a higher priority comes to our attention and requires our presence we must act on the higher priority event.

The action taken must be in the best interests of everyone involved where the law is the governing authority.



ADD-ON MODULE: The Means versus the End Argument

Learning to “think correctly” before we criticize or condemn others for their thoughts and actions in an ethical imperative and we teach how to do it well. The manner of how we think before we speak is critical if we are to survive in a society where suing has become the national pastime. We must be cautious of how our professional credibility can be damaged by what we say. Using the Habit of Mind learned earlier we now teach the manner of rhetorically breaking down a line of reasoning to find flaws.

This thinking is called the (the) Means versus (the) End Argument. It is a way to listen to powerful and persuasive people to explore gaps in their planning or to see benefits in their reasoning. The argument becomes a way to teach ourselves how to think well so we are less likely to be discredited in our own plans, and as a way to gain the confidence of the people above us. Avoiding of the appearance of rash thinking is a prized skill in leaders.



Teaching Style and Presentation:
 
The program is delivery based and the material brought to life by dynamic, professional presenters. The classroom presentation is lively, interactive, and filled with valuable information brought to life by relating concepts, principles, and tactics to everyday life. We reach the audience through humor and a unique way of patterning human memory so participants can remember the information far longer than is usual for classroom only participation.

As professional trainers, we have enjoyed success on four continents. The latest book by Dr. Thompson is published in three languages and sold around the world. Over 800,000 people have been introduced to the tactics and strategies of Verbal Judo and our success grows with each class of participants.


REQUESTS FOR SHORTER PROGRAMS: There are also Half-Day programs available for organizations with logistic and manpower issues where time to get people into a training session is limited. Although we would always prefer to offer people the benefit of a fuller training day we understand and will happily accommodate you.

Please always bear in mind that real problems are rarely solved by shortcuts and we have been around for thirty years because we prefer to solve problems rather then just make money. Often we have conducted shorter sessions only to be asked back to complete the longer program. We offer no criticism when you pick the shorter program but would like the opportunity to mention that we understand how often organizations get burned on bad programs and a full day seems an eternity when you have hired the wrong people or even good people with bad material. We have been around for this long with only word-of-mouth to keep us in business for a reason. The final decision will always be yours and regardless of the program you choose we will offer the very finest in both material and delivery.

The Keynote and Break-Out Session programs are tailored to the audience and we can do the general session for the keynote and then break-out sessions where we will cover more specific tactical information based upon the foundation we built the foundation during the keynote. The break-out material can be covered in repeat sessions or we can create add-on material so people get the benefit of more material in shorter sessions. We can also work with your conference theme or agenda. Call us for thoughts and discussion and we can build shorter programs once we know your needs.