Technique #34 It’s the Receiver’s Ball

A football player wouldn't last two beats of the time

clock if he made blind passes. A pro throws the ball

with the receiver always in mind.

Before throwing out any news, keep your receiver in

mind. Then deliver it with a smile, a sigh, or a sob. Not

according to how you feel about the news, but how the

receiver will take it.Had my neighbor told me of the impending rainstorm with

sympathy, I would have appreciated his warning. Had the Greyhound salesclerk sympathetically informed me that my bus had

already left, I probably would have said, "Oh, that's all right.

132 How to Talk to Anyone

Technique #34

It's the Receiver's Ball

A football player wouldn't last two beats of the time

clock if he made blind passes. A pro throws the ball

with the receiver always in mind.

Before throwing out any news, keep your receiver in

mind. Then deliver it with a smile, a sigh, or a sob. Not

according to how you feel about the news, but how the

receiver will take it.

03 (093-142B) part three 8/14/03 9:17 AM Page 132

I'll catch the next one." Big winners, when they bear bad news,

deliver bombs with the emotion the bombarded person is sure to

have.

Big winners know how to give bad news to people. They also

know how not to give any news to anyone, even when people are

pressuring them. Let's explore that next