Passionate but not Persuasive

Passionate but not Persuasive

There are times when we have an idea be it business or otherwise which we are passionate about. But I would issue caution when relying on that passion to persuade others. Recently my son has been asked by his school to give a speech that is persuasive. I have helped him in the construction and tried to take the passion away and allow the clarity of the persuasive points to come through. He has taken on a rather difficult topic though; suggesting that Football is a better sport than Rugby. Challenging when you consider that the school is very, very pro Rugby! But like me, my son likes a challenge!

But coming back to business, I was recently discussing the difference between being passionate and persuasive with one of my clients. It reminded me of a favourite scene of mine from a favourite film “Amadeus”. For those who have not seen it, it is the scene where Mozart is brought before the King because Salieri (his mortal rival) has revealed that Mozart is writing an Opera based on the Figaro story (The Marriage of Figaro). Now this had been banned due to its revolutionary subject matter. This was especially sensitive with the French Revolution going on (The King’s sister was Marie Antoinette).

Now Mozart tried to address the issue by going on how great the Opera was, how beautiful the music, how groundbreaking the music and the Opera would be. But as the King says to Mozart

“You are passionate Mozart but you are not persuasive”

So what was wrong with the pitch from Mozart? Well thinking about it he was focused on the product and not the issue that was concerning the King. That issue was the supposed subversive subject matter. It was only when he started focusing on the lightness of the content of the Opera and gave an example by describing the opening scene

“What is Figaro measuring your Majesty? He is measuring for his marriage bed not for a scaffold”

Only then did he begin to persuade and thankfully we now have a great Opera to listen to.

So the lesson to be learned here is to cool the passion and focus on the persuasion and you do that by focusing on the issues of the person you are trying to persuade. There is an old adage I may have quoted before

“Sell what the customer wants to buy, not what you want to sell”

Now that may be one and the same thing but until you start listening to them, speaking to them, not preaching at them then nothing will progress. In my client’s case he was focused on the nature of the business of the proposition and not on the financial returns and risks involved. Also his presentation was so passionate that it prevented input or question. When that happens listeners turn off.