Comments on: Why You Too Can Sell Snow To An Eskimo http://www.drogrady.com/negatalkers/why-you-too-can-sell-snow-to-an-eskimo/ Dr. Dennis O'Grady customizes business programs for customer-centered communication. Past programs designed and developed for major corporate clients have resulted in supervisors, managers and executives elevating their communication strengths. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:58:31 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Snowed http://www.drogrady.com/negatalkers/why-you-too-can-sell-snow-to-an-eskimo/comment-page-1/#comment-1887 Snowed Thu, 31 Aug 2006 15:36:09 +0000 http://www.drogrady.com/?p=190#comment-1887 My teen promised to pick up his room and failed to do it again. I was steamed ready to blow. Here's the excuses he gave...trying to "snow me": "I was too busy to... Once I get into a better situation then I can do it... I feel bad that I didn't do it...I don't feel good about it... I didn't do it on purpose... It's been a weird week... I've been workin' so hard I couldn't find the time... I had to do other things instead... I know I'm going to do it... You don't have to be so negative all the time... I feel fine about it so why can't you?" I was amazed how much my son tried to "snow me" with all these talk excuses. Now I get why you say that "talk excuses or rationalizing" are nice-sounding excuses why you don't keep your word and do what you've agreed to do. My son may be a good talker...but now I'm a better listener! Thanks, I'm not going to allow myself to be "snowed" My teen promised to pick up his room and failed to do it again. I was steamed ready to blow. Here’s the excuses he gave…trying to “snow me”:

“I was too busy to…
Once I get into a better situation then I can do it…
I feel bad that I didn’t do it…I don’t feel good about it…
I didn’t do it on purpose…
It’s been a weird week…
I’ve been workin’ so hard I couldn’t find the time…
I had to do other things instead…
I know I’m going to do it…
You don’t have to be so negative all the time…
I feel fine about it so why can’t you?”

I was amazed how much my son tried to “snow me” with all these talk excuses. Now I get why you say that “talk excuses or rationalizing” are nice-sounding excuses why you don’t keep your word and do what you’ve agreed to do. My son may be a good talker…but now I’m a better listener!

Thanks,
I’m not going to allow myself to be “snowed”

]]> By: Why Beat Ourselves Up Over It? http://www.drogrady.com/negatalkers/why-you-too-can-sell-snow-to-an-eskimo/comment-page-1/#comment-1886 Why Beat Ourselves Up Over It? Thu, 31 Aug 2006 14:12:19 +0000 http://www.drogrady.com/?p=190#comment-1886 I decided to write down all the "positive pep talks" we're getting from management in my company that's going under. The ship is sinking but this is what the team is told. "Some good is going to come from this...We've always pulled things out of the fire before...just think of it as having a new lease on life...IF we all pull together and make some sacrifices we can make this work...It's picking up so just hang on...We've just gotta' keep movin' forward now...What good does it do to beat ourselves up over this right now...All we have to do is figure out a way to re-build and re-invent ourselves...Why beat ourselves up over IT?" I now know why you say, Dr. O'Grady, that optimism can be a denial of the "white elephant" in the room. Our team isn't chanting that "we're getting there" but that "we've been-there and done-that" and nothing much is changing! I decided to write down all the “positive pep talks” we’re getting from management in my company that’s going under. The ship is sinking but this is what the team is told. “Some good is going to come from this…We’ve always pulled things out of the fire before…just think of it as having a new lease on life…IF we all pull together and make some sacrifices we can make this work…It’s picking up so just hang on…We’ve just gotta’ keep movin’ forward now…What good does it do to beat ourselves up over this right now…All we have to do is figure out a way to re-build and re-invent ourselves…Why beat ourselves up over IT?”

I now know why you say, Dr. O’Grady, that optimism can be a denial of the “white elephant” in the room. Our team isn’t chanting that “we’re getting there” but that “we’ve been-there and done-that” and nothing much is changing!

]]> By: You Ain't Sellin' That Snow To This Eskimo http://www.drogrady.com/negatalkers/why-you-too-can-sell-snow-to-an-eskimo/comment-page-1/#comment-1884 You Ain't Sellin' That Snow To This Eskimo Thu, 31 Aug 2006 12:08:16 +0000 http://www.drogrady.com/?p=190#comment-1884 I'm a sucker for a good sob story. I "loan" money to others who I know from experience won't pay me back. In my defense, sometimes, I feel backed into a corner with a "guilt trip" that I have to help the person or they won't change. Your article helps me respond caringly but assertively. I appreciate your "seriously funny" coaching, in particular, the comeback: "You ain't sellin' that snow to this eskimo!" I'm done feeling intimidated to do things that I really don't want to do and then resent. My "Achilles Heel" as an E-type, is trying to helps others who don't really act responsibly to help themselves. I assume the best about people...even when they are "negatalkers" or people who suffer from a personality disorder.  From now on, I am going to say your funny comeback aloud to myself...to get off the hot seat. I’m a sucker for a good sob story. I “loan” money to others who I know from experience won’t pay me back. In my defense, sometimes, I feel backed into a corner with a “guilt trip” that I have to help the person or they won’t change. Your article helps me respond caringly but assertively.

I appreciate your “seriously funny” coaching, in particular, the comeback: “You ain’t sellin’ that snow to this eskimo!” I’m done feeling intimidated to do things that I really don’t want to do and then resent.

My “Achilles Heel” as an E-type, is trying to helps others who don’t really act responsibly to help themselves. I assume the best about people…even when they are “negatalkers” or people who suffer from a personality disorder.  From now on, I am going to say your funny comeback aloud to myself…to get off the hot seat.

]]> By: Dr. Dennis O'Grady http://www.drogrady.com/negatalkers/why-you-too-can-sell-snow-to-an-eskimo/comment-page-1/#comment-1883 Dr. Dennis O'Grady Thu, 31 Aug 2006 10:19:17 +0000 http://www.drogrady.com/?p=190#comment-1883 "Head spinning" essentially tells you to bug off in a nice way after you've gone "splat" like a flattened insect on the windshield of the "slippery speak" aggressive talk driver. The biggest wrong I can think of is never being wrong. If you aren't wrong, you can't identify a problem, and then you can't affect the solution. Always being right is the biggest wrong that you can perpetuate in any relationship! “Head spinning” essentially tells you to bug off in a nice way after you’ve gone “splat” like a flattened insect on the windshield of the “slippery speak” aggressive talk driver.

The biggest wrong I can think of is never being wrong. If you aren’t wrong, you can’t identify a problem, and then you can’t affect the solution. Always being right is the biggest wrong that you can perpetuate in any relationship!

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