When you are over emotional, or come
across as weird, you lose credibility and it makes no difference how right you
are.
When I was
30-something and working as Senior Aide to an elected official, I was the
gatekeeper to a person with tremendous power. As such, I met daily with a
never-ending line of representatives (lobbyists) intent upon persuading me to persuade
my boss to help them get whatever they needed – usually to help them make more
money. I also met
daily with individuals whose beliefs, principals and values (not financial
gain) drove their ever waking moment. These were the “cause” people, and their
causes included concerns for children, the poor, elderly, environment etc.
One such guy
I will never forget, was a mass transit advocate who I will call “Jim.” Jim was brilliant. He knew his facts. He
articulated exceptionally well. He was always well-prepared, and he was always at
meetings about transportation issues. But in spite of all this, when he arrived
at the podium to speak his case, there was an almost synchronized rolling of
eyes throughout the room, thought bubbles over every head reading, “Here comes
the kook.” It really wouldn’t have mattered what Jim said or how he said it because
his appearance (extreme 1950’s vintage clothing and glasses and long unruly
hair) was so bazaar, people wrote him off before he even spoke a word. Sure it
works for Weird Al Yankovic (pictured), but it didn’t help
Jim. Sensing this, he became defensive and emotional, often shouting down the other
speakers.
One day in
my office, I stopped him mid-rant and said, “Jim, you’re smart, you know what
you are talking about and you’re right, but they will never hear you because
they cannot see past your weirdness.” I told him right or wrong, like it or
not, he needed to look like and act like the people he was trying to convince,
so they could see his truth, and not just him.
So keep
your cool and avoid the extreme, so you can retain the credibility that will
help you win your case.
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