Here’s to the Crazy Ones

Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.

By Steve Jobs

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Natural Disaster in Wawa

The Independent Republic of Wawa has been struck by a Tsunami and an earthquake. It is a natural disaster of unprecedented magnitud. Millions are at risk of dying. Your country needs help.

You are the President of the Independent Republic of Wawa.

You are now standing in front of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York, addressing the Heads of State of all the countries in the world. You need their help.

You are going to make a speech. ..  we will film it…. the only words you can speak are “Wawa“.

Make sure you can convey the correct message with the appropriate body language and, voice pitch, rhythm, variations og tone and facial expressions. That is all you can use.

Mr. Secretary General

Honorable chair, fellow delegates,

The Independent Republic of Wawa has been struck by a natural disaster of unprecedented magnitude.

The earthquake, followed by a tsunami has killed ana aproximate number of 200 thousand people. 1 million are injured and 5 million homeless.

As the death toll continues to climb, millions of people have been displaced. Many more survivors need relief supplies including food, medicine, and safe water.

As I am speaking, hundreds of thousands of mothers, children and  citizens of the Independent Republica of Wawa are dying.

We need the help of the international community. And as fast as possible..

Thank you

Think

To make matters more challenging to a larger audience, some of the speakers  will perform a completly different speech to the audience in the same Wawa language.  The listeners will have to understand which speech is which.

Listening Skills

1) Analyze the “patient and doctor metaphor” on misunderstanding and broken communication.

2) Understand the different levels of listening:

– Not listening
– Selective listening
– Active listening
– Empathic listening

3) Carry out the test to asses your ability with listening skills (download it HERE ).

4) Ask somebody who knows you well and has a daily relation with you (your father or mother, for example) to fill out the same assessment of YOUR listening skills.

Think

– What are the differences between the two results of the same test?
– Are you as good a listener as you thought you were?
– Why do people who know you have a different idea about you than what you think?
– What is the diffefence between selective and active listening?
– What is the difference between active and empathic listening?
– Why is listening so powerful when you need to persuade somebody?
– Is persuasion a two way ir a single way process?

Persuasion Strategies

Today we will explore powerful persuasion strategies based on emotions.

Think

Please write the comments below somw examples of situations when you used these persuasion strategies in your own personal ans family life.

Debate: Animal Testing

Today we are going to debate.

You will be divided in two teams.

One team will argue in favour of Animal Testing,  then other will argue against it.

Each team will have two speakers.

Each speaker will be able to talk 3 minutes to support his/her resolution.

You will use Ethos, Logos and Pathos in your speeches:

Ethos

Logos

Pathos

You will find material to prepare the debate by clicking on this link: “Should Animals Be Used for Scientific or Commercial Testing?” .

Think

Watch the videos of the debate speeches and evaluate for each speaker the if the level of Ethos, Logos and Pathos they expressed was above or below average.

– Who expressed the highest level of Pathos?
– Who expressed the highest level of Ethos?
– Who expressed thr highest level of Logos?
– Which team won the debate?
– What does “winning a debate” mean?
– Can you convince people of your ideas? How?

Body Language

Put a P (Positive) next to the behaviours that you can use to make soembody listen to you. Put an N (Negative) next to the behaviours that, will prevent the other person from listening to you.

Enact in front of an audience those behaviors and let them tell you if they find it “positive” or “negative.”

Compare and discuss your results with the ones recorded by others.

1.- _____ Raise an eyebrow.

2.- _____ Smile.

3.- _____ Nod with your head.

4.- _____ Move your body forward when you are seated.

5.- _____ Be quite.

6.- _____ Tap your fingers on the table.

7.- _____ Look away from the person who is listening to you.

8.- _____ Look spaced out.

9.- _____ Open and relax your posture.

10 -_____ Touch.

11.-_____ Close and tense your posture.

12.-_____ Be autistic.

13.-_____ Be calm and stand still.

14.-_____ Look nervous.

15.-_____ Let your head hang loose.

16.-_____ Make eye contact.

17.-_____ Sigh.

18.-_____ Give an angry look.

19.-_____ Move your head to the side as if it were to touch your shoulder.

20.-_____ Show that you are happy.

21.-_____ Give a seducing look.

22.-_____ Move your head from side to side.

23.-_____ Duck into your chair.

24.-_____ Cross your arms.

25.-_____ Tilt your head downwards.

26.-_____ Half close your eyelids.

27.-_____ Arch your neck forward.

28.-_____ Look to the side of the one who is listening.

29.-_____ Give a look of disapproval.

Think

– What makes body language “positive” or “negative”?

– Does  “positive” depend on what you want to achieve?

– What are the few behaviors that are unarguably “positive” according to EVERYBODY?

– What are the few behaviors that are unarguably “negative” according to EVERYBODY?

– Does overdoing a “positive” behaviour make it negative?

– What behavior should you adopt when you give a presentation to an audience?

And Now, We Need You!

The ZULU tribe needs you to put content on this blog.

We need you!!!

ZULU blog is yours.  Now is the time to own it and use it.

Please use the comments herebelow to suggest ideas, projects and inspiration for the rest of the ZULU tribe.

These are the steps you can follow:

1) Find a fellow member of the tribe to work with.  You are a team.

2) Think between the two (or three) of you of a subject that relates to the contents of the blog and the skills we have practiced in our lessons:

– Leadership
– Communication
– Body Language
– Emotions
– Memory
– Coaching
– Skills
– Inspiration
– Think like Leonardo da Vinci
– Debating
– Persuasion
– Fun
– Teamwork
– Nick
– Brain Storming
– Making the next 12 months the best year of tour life
– Whatever you consider appropriate and interesting…

3) Your team assignment is to research online and produce contents for a blog post which can be any combination of the following:

– Plain text
– Games to make people think
– Podcast you make
– A video you make
– A video from YouTube
– Inspirational quotes
– Pictures
– Songs
– Poems
– Surveys
– Tests

The blog post has to end with questions that move the reader to action, makes the reader think and prompts the reader to write comments on the post.

Action

Who will you work with? List the members of your team in the comments below.

What will you post about? Describe your team project in the comments below.

Think

Emotion: the Captain of your Soul

Read this poem by William Ernest Henley to a friend a few times, trying to express different emotions:

1) You are very, extremely tired and sleepy.
2) You are upset. Very upset. Imagine that your brother,  sister or friend just broke your favorite game.
3) You are extremely happy: you have just won 10 m$ at the lottery.
4) You are scared.  You jave just watched a very scary movie.
5) Read the poem in a dull and numb way, as if you were reading the temperature and weather forecast for a list of cities.

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Think

Answer these questions in the comments below:

– Ask your friend to repeat the poem.  He has heard it 5 times. How many words does he remember? Can he remember at least 1 full stanza?

– Ask your friend to list the emotions that you used to read the poem.  Does he remeber all of them?

– Why is it easier to remember emotions than words?

– Why is Nelson Mandela in the picture by the poem?

Communication with Feedback

This games is designed to make you understand how communication can be more effective with proper feedback – when questions and answers establish a sound two-way communication channel.

The game is divided in in two parts. You should time how long it takes to complete both tasks and count how many questions you asked in the second part of the game. You need a minimum of two people to complete the game.

Part 1

Give your back to the group and study the drawing. You have to give instructions to the rest of the group on how to reproduce the exact drawing. Start from the square at the top and work your way down.  No questions are allowed.

Part 2

Repeat the game with a different drawing. You will still give your back to the group, but this time the group will be able to ask as many questions as they wish.

Conclusion

Answer these questions in the comments below.

– Why was it faster to complete the second part of the game?

– Why were the drawings more accurate?

– How many questions did they ask you?

– Did the number of question the group ask exceed your expectations?

What are the elements that allow an effective two way communication feedback?