Connection Examples
In the short clip below, you will see John Travolta in Primary Colors (playing a thinly-disguised Bill Clinton before he became president). Notice how he creates a connection at the beginning, one-to-one, and then with a large audience. He establishes a connection before delivering some unpalatable truths for the people.
Sir Ken Robinson uses self-deprecating humor to connect with his audience. And then, he shares the story (stories are powerful – see later) of a dancer. This is a much more effective approach than simply saying that people are wired differently.
In the next clip, Al Gore, who had recently lost the presidential race to Bush, establishes a connection through self-deprecating humour. Notice the change in his demeanour when he moves into the logical persuasion stage. Without establishing a connection at the beginning, his arguments would have met much more resistance, particularly from people on the other side of the political divide.