Flattery Will Get Your Everywhere

"You are such an amazing speaker with such an inspired way of telling your stories.  I just love your energy and enthusiasm!"

"Why thank you.  That means a lot."

"Our organization desperately needs you! Your message would be so valuable and make so many Ripples with our members that you can't even imagine.  I wish we could pay you your day rate to speak to us but we can't get anywhere close.   But you would make such a difference in the lives of our members that I just have to ask, heck beg, would you at least consider coming to speak to our group?" Said with big puppy eyes extends for full effect.

As I adjusted the over-inflation valve in the back of my head to return it to normal size, I agreed to speak to this woman's organization.

Flattery works.  Well let me rephrase that....genuine flatter works.

As I spoke that day I noticed her in the audience.  I  could tell that my message was resonating with her and that made me feel really quite good.  She furiously wrote down page after page of notes and smiled really big when our eyes met several times during my remarks.  She bee-lined it for me the instant I got off stage and said even more complimentary things than I felt comfortable sharing here.  Let's just say she was truly taken by my message and was going to make darn sure that I knew it.

The point in all this...aside from the smile that appears on my face as I recall this story to share with you now? is flattery works!  I agreed without hesitation to speak to her group from the small honorarium she offered. Why? because she made me feel extra special and as she did she asked me to do something for her that I had absolutely no problem agreeing to do. Her flattery was like Kryptonite though I am not implying I am Super Man.

Was she playing some Jedi mind trick on me? Perhaps, but I doubt it.  She was simply sharing her enthusiasm for what I do and was not shy in telling me how my message could continue to make even more Ripples amongst her group.  If I would only cast the stone.  She used my own powers against me.

They say flattery never works.  Well I disagree.  I believe that if you can make a connection with someone and make them feel recognized, loved and appreciated for whatever it is that they do then flattery absolutely works.  It creates a Ripple that reverberates through a person's soul and then if they are like me...they will be putty in your hands.

Disclaimer: Use this new-found knowledge only for good and to create more positive Ripples out there in the world.  This message will self-destruct in 30 seconds (unless you tell me how brilliant I am for sharing it and then it won't!).

Ripple On!!!