Discussion Questions
1. Stacey Hanke, communication expert and co-author of the book Yes You Can! Everything
you need from A-Z to Influence Others to Take Action, reveals in her blog post Words That
Influence words and phrases to avoid and words and phrases to influence. Review Hanke’s
post and answer the following questions:
http://www.staceyhankeinc.com/2014/words-that-influence/
a. Write out a statement that you might say in a conversation using words Hanke said to
avoid. Rewrite the statement using words that influence. Why does the second statement
sound more influential? Explain.
b. As the blog suggests, pay attention to your conversations and your use of the words to
avoid. How many of the words to avoid did you find yourself using in any one
conversation? Could the outcome of the conversation have been different if you used more
influential words listed in Hanke’s blog? If so, how?
2. Increase your ability to back up claims with good reasons. Instructions:
a. Review text research on good reasons.
b. Choose an action that you sincerely want your friend to do with or for you.
c. Identify the “good reasons” that will have the greatest impact on your friend. Make sure
the reasons are relevant to the claim and well-supported.
d. Report the outcome. Did your friend go the way you wanted based on your reasoning?
3. Discuss your track record for judging people. How often have you been burned?
4. Try out a personal request that you would like to make (or would have liked to make in the past)
on your classmates, based on the suggestions in the chapter. Ask for feedback on ways to make your
request more assertive.
5. Describe a fictitious character who displays passive-aggressive behavior.