Sometimes – maybe quite often –
it’s hard to take advice. Even really good advice can be hard to accept and act
upon. People just don’t like to be told what to do, even if it’s the right
thing to do. Go figure!
Sure, I can tell you all the valuable wisdom I’ve gleaned in my illustrious business career. But will you drop what you’re doing and start acting on that information immediately? No, that’s very unlikely, despite the fact that doing so might financially benefit you. In fact, it’s much more probable that you’ll be counting the seconds until I finally shut up. Why? Because you resist being told what to do, even when it’s in your best interests. Once again, that’s just human nature.
But I do want to help you. I do want to share what I’ve learned, and what I’m still learning. That’s why I’ve created a new character named Jerry Pudnik.
By listening carefully to what Jerry Pudnik says, you will definitely become a more effective and persuasive communicator. When that happens, there’s a good chance your income will go up as well.
But here’s the best part. You don’t have to take Jerry Pudnik’s advice. You don’t have to do what he says. On the contrary, you shouldn’t do what he says. You should do the opposite of what he says, because Jerry Pudnik is always wrong. He’s a genius, but he’s a genius in reverse.
Isn’t that beautiful? Now, instead of having to learn from someone older and wiser than yourself, you can learn from someone dumber than yourself – and by doing the opposite of what he says, you can exercise your rebellious, anti-social tendencies at the same time. It’s a win/win.
Well, that’s enough preliminary. Let’s take Jerry Pudnik for a test drive. Let’s do some Q&A with Jerry Pudnik and find out just how wrong he can be.
Question: Jerry, suppose someone confides in you about a very emotional, personal problem they’re having, what’s the best way to respond? For instance, if someone tells you about a health issue that’s going on in their family, or perhaps even a death, what can you say to make them feel better?
Jerry Pudnik: That’s easy, Tom! When people tell me their problems – especially their emotional problems – what they really want to hear is how I had an even worse problem and how I dealt with it. For instance, not long ago a colleague of mine was feeling very sad because her dog passed on. I listened patiently, I heard her out – and then I told her about when my cat died. It’s was as simple as that. I also asked a few leading questions. I said, “How old was your dog?” When she told me that her dog was thirteen years old, I replied that my cat was fourteen! The main point is, instead of letting her go on about herself and her dog, I shifted the conversation so it became about me and my cat!
Brilliant, isn’t it? What’s more, you may be aware that many (if not most) people are already acting on this Pudnik Principle. Every day, millions of people play the game of “Topper,” as the late, great Zig Ziglar called it. They respond to someone’s difficulty by narrating a bigger difficulty of their own – and make no mistake, they’re deeply resented for it.
So be aware of the temptation to make every conversation about you. That’s the lesson to be learned today from Jerry Pudnik, the man who’s always wrong. There will be much more to come!
Check out this Zig Ziglar video on YouTube. Maybe a little old fashioned, but old fashioned fun:
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