Westside Toastmasters is located in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California - Westside Toastmasters on Meetup

Energy Doesn't Lie

Someone once told me that people can see through words, but that energy doesn't lie. Try these three experiments on energy and a springboard mentality and see if you can discover the truth in that statement:

First, try saying hello to the same person in three different ways (at three different times). Say it angrily, suggestively, in a friendly manner . . . how does the person react to each greeting?

Next, take this one step further. Begin conversations with three different strangers. These can be cashiers, neighbors you've never spoken to, or just people on the street. You can talk about anything you want to-talk about the weather or a sports team, or ask for directions-but the catch is, all the conversations have to be about the same topic, and you must start each one with the same opening line. The only difference is that you'll approach each person with different energy. You can be gruff, enthusiastic, timid, overbearing, or anything else you can think of. Notice how the other person reacts to you in each case-the differences that each kind of energy brings.

Finally, find three other strangers or people that you don't know well. Start conversations on different topics, and this time, approach these people with an encouraging and empathetic attitude that gets them talking. The trick here is to listen for the energy. They'll doubtless show some sort of spark when the conversation swings around to an area they're passionate about. Pick up on that spark and fan it into a flame. Follow the energy and see where it leads. Afterward, plot a trajectory for each conversation, pinpointing where it started and the direction it sprang off in once you teased out that spark.