Tom's guest for the hour today is Jay Heinrichs, an author, lecturer, and consultant in the art (and science) of rhetoric. In a new book, he points out that while the word “debate” comes from the same latin word for “battle,” an argument is not a fight. In a fight, you try to win. In an argument, you try to win over.
Who are the best at persuading other individuals, even crowds, to their points of view? Heinrichs says it's people who have mastered the art of listening, and who have developed the skill that every great comedian has: timing. Our body language, our tone of voice, and knowing what not to say in many circumstances all contribute to our capacity to change people’s willingness to do something, which is, when all is said and done, the point of a persuasive argument.
Heinrichs is a Professor of the Practice of Rhetoric and Oratory at Middlebury College in Vermont, and he consults about persuasive engagement with clients like NASA, Southwest Airlines, and the Wharton School of Business. In 2007, he wrote a NY Times best-seller called Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion.It’s been translated into 12 languages, and it’s one of the top ten books assigned to classes at Harvard. His new book is a kind of how-to guide for the successful persuader. It’s called How to Argue with a Cat: The Human Art of Persuasion.
Jay Heinrichs joins Tom in Studio A. The program was Live-Streamed on WYPR's Facebook page.
