Jeff Thomas
New member
Most of us posting on TFL spend time everyday, or at least every week, as informal diplomats for the RKBA. And, we want to be as successful as possible.
This requires a number of skills. First, it certainly requires knowledge about the subject. TFL has helped me greatly in this area, as well as reading the top books, but I still have quite a ways to go.
But, in addition to technical, political and historical knowledge about the RKBA, we also need the skills to impart those perspectives to others. We need to be able to write and speak clearly, persuasively and with compassion. I heard Tom Gresham once say that we had won the intellectual battle, but those in the anti-self defense movement (and many of our neighbors) simply don't believe we 'care'. That is, we have not won the emotional argument.
Years ago, I took the Dale Carnegie Course. As I recall, it lasted 10 weeks, and ran once or twice each week, on a weekday evening. I learned more effective public speaking, and better ways to deal with people. It helped me a great deal.
I plan to take a refresher of this course in the next couple of months, and some local RKBA folks will probably attend with me.
I don't work for this company, and I have no financial interest in the Dale Carnegie Course. I only mention it here in order to encourage my friends on TFL to perhaps enhance your skills by using that course as a tool in your own development.
My own tendency is to charge right in, and make sure I point out the other person's lack of knowledge and logic.
However, we don't win arguments by failing to respect another's opinion. We win arguments by starting in a friendly way, getting the other person to begin saying 'yes', letting the other person do a great deal of the talking and so on.
Lately I have allowed my passion to sometimes blur my memory of these important principles. Thus, the refresher course. I mention it here because I know this will make me a better 'diplomat', and perhaps this can help other TFL members as well.
I don't recall the cost, but many employers are willing to pay for this kind of training, in full or in part.
Regards from AZ
This requires a number of skills. First, it certainly requires knowledge about the subject. TFL has helped me greatly in this area, as well as reading the top books, but I still have quite a ways to go.
But, in addition to technical, political and historical knowledge about the RKBA, we also need the skills to impart those perspectives to others. We need to be able to write and speak clearly, persuasively and with compassion. I heard Tom Gresham once say that we had won the intellectual battle, but those in the anti-self defense movement (and many of our neighbors) simply don't believe we 'care'. That is, we have not won the emotional argument.
Years ago, I took the Dale Carnegie Course. As I recall, it lasted 10 weeks, and ran once or twice each week, on a weekday evening. I learned more effective public speaking, and better ways to deal with people. It helped me a great deal.
I plan to take a refresher of this course in the next couple of months, and some local RKBA folks will probably attend with me.
I don't work for this company, and I have no financial interest in the Dale Carnegie Course. I only mention it here in order to encourage my friends on TFL to perhaps enhance your skills by using that course as a tool in your own development.
My own tendency is to charge right in, and make sure I point out the other person's lack of knowledge and logic.
However, we don't win arguments by failing to respect another's opinion. We win arguments by starting in a friendly way, getting the other person to begin saying 'yes', letting the other person do a great deal of the talking and so on.Lately I have allowed my passion to sometimes blur my memory of these important principles. Thus, the refresher course. I mention it here because I know this will make me a better 'diplomat', and perhaps this can help other TFL members as well.
I don't recall the cost, but many employers are willing to pay for this kind of training, in full or in part.
Regards from AZ
