The Bullseye Principle summary

The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle spent a lot of time thinking about rhetoric – the art of persuasive speech. One of his insights was that, while good arguments are important, they’re not enough. To truly influence someone, you have to come across as honest as well as appearing genuinely excited and engaged.

Communication, in other words, isn’t just about what you say – it’s about aligning what you say with who you are.

In late 2007, Barack Obama had his eyes on the presidency, but things were going poorly. Endless traveling had sapped his energy. Turnout at rallies was low because of bad weather and the media’s coverage was negative. It was a dispiriting moment in an otherwise hopeful campaign. Then, one day, he met Edith Childs, a community organizer. At a near-empty meeting, she suddenly led a call-and-response chant, yelling “Fired up!” at the crowd. They responded: “Ready to go!”

As the energy in the room built, Obama had a revelation that would eventually carry him into the White House.

Imagine you’re at a meeting and a colleague gets up and presents a report on the company’s performance over the last year. How much of what he says will you remember? According to a 2016 study, it depends on how the information is delivered. If your colleague relies on numbers, it might be as little as ten percent. If those stats are packaged in a compelling story, though, it’s likely to be as much as 70 percent!

The key message here is: Storytelling makes information more memorable and pitches more persuasive.

Over the last 50 years, corporate life has changed beyond recognition. Old mainstays like the gold-plated company pension have almost disappeared entirely. Other things, like new technology, have come on in leaps and bounds. One of the most obvious differences – the increased frequency of meetings – is something of a mixed blessing. Most employees hate them, but no business can do without them. So how do leaders square this circle?

The key message here is: More and more meetings are badly run, but they don’t have to be. 

Whenever you’re talking, you’re usually stating things you already know or believe. This can be useful for others, but it’s only one half of the equation. Whether you’re in a meeting or in a one-on-one conversation, you’ll need to ask questions to find out new information.

The key message in this blink is: Asking questions unlocks vital information, but you need to know what kind of questions to ask.