Post by modeski on Sept 20, 2005 13:54:44 GMT
I was at a conference recently put on by The Confident Company, hosted by Bill McFarlan and Dr Alex Yellowless, broadcaster and psychiatrist respectively. They were nice guys and not as cheesy as I expected.
McFarlan wrote the book Drop the Pink Elephant, which basically is about improving your communication, both written and spoken. A Pink Elephant is an "unnecessary, and normally vivid, negative.", and is part of the mental baggage we all carry around (apparently).
Usually unprompted, a pink elephant betrays the true message underlying what is said - often the complete opposite of the what the speaker wanted to say. An example would be me telling you not to think of Dr Thorpe on TechTV. What did you just think about? See? Don't picture Bill Gates playing banjo, either. You did it again!
It's an interesting idea, and I would encourage people to buy the book. I now follow a lot of the advice contained within and find myself getting a lot more done at work, and garnering greater respect from my colleagues.
I thought it would be quite fun for us all to keep an eye out for pink elephants, whether from forum goons, public figures, family members or whoever. Here are a few to get us started:
Tony Blair
"When they try to intimidate us, we will not be intimidated. When they seek to change our country or our way of life by these methods, we will not be changed. When they try to divide our people or weaken our resolve, we will not be divided and our resolve will hold firm."
Source: TB's statement on July bomb attacks in London
"And again I say: I do not disrespect the views of those in opposition to mine."
"Our fault has not been impatience."
Source: Prime Minister's statement opening Iraq debate, 18.03.2003
George W Bush
"America will not impose our own style of government on the unwilling."
"Do not let anyone mislead you; for you, the Social Security system will not change in any way."
"We'll make sure that your earnings are not eaten up by hidden Wall Street fees."
Source: State of the Union Address, Feb 2 2005 )
George H W Bush
"We will elevate the Environmental Protection Agency to Cabinet rank -- not more bureaucracy, not more redtape, but the certainty that here at home, and especially in our dealings with other nations, environmental issues have the status they deserve."
Source: State of the Union address, Jan 31 1990
"Our objective is to help the Baltic peoples achieve their aspirations, not to punish the Soviet Union"
Source: State of the Union address, Jan 29 1991
Ronald Reagan
"We will not tolerate wage discrimination based on sex, and we intend to strengthen enforcement of child support laws to ensure that single parents, most of whom are women, do not suffer unfair financial hardship."
"The future belongs not to governments and ideologies which oppress their peoples."
Source - State of the Union address, Jan 25 1983
I'm sure there have been a few pink elephants written on this site as well, so feel free to dig up those!
McFarlan wrote the book Drop the Pink Elephant, which basically is about improving your communication, both written and spoken. A Pink Elephant is an "unnecessary, and normally vivid, negative.", and is part of the mental baggage we all carry around (apparently).
Usually unprompted, a pink elephant betrays the true message underlying what is said - often the complete opposite of the what the speaker wanted to say. An example would be me telling you not to think of Dr Thorpe on TechTV. What did you just think about? See? Don't picture Bill Gates playing banjo, either. You did it again!
It's an interesting idea, and I would encourage people to buy the book. I now follow a lot of the advice contained within and find myself getting a lot more done at work, and garnering greater respect from my colleagues.
I thought it would be quite fun for us all to keep an eye out for pink elephants, whether from forum goons, public figures, family members or whoever. Here are a few to get us started:
Tony Blair
"When they try to intimidate us, we will not be intimidated. When they seek to change our country or our way of life by these methods, we will not be changed. When they try to divide our people or weaken our resolve, we will not be divided and our resolve will hold firm."
Source: TB's statement on July bomb attacks in London
"And again I say: I do not disrespect the views of those in opposition to mine."
"Our fault has not been impatience."
Source: Prime Minister's statement opening Iraq debate, 18.03.2003
George W Bush
"America will not impose our own style of government on the unwilling."
"Do not let anyone mislead you; for you, the Social Security system will not change in any way."
"We'll make sure that your earnings are not eaten up by hidden Wall Street fees."
Source: State of the Union Address, Feb 2 2005 )
George H W Bush
"We will elevate the Environmental Protection Agency to Cabinet rank -- not more bureaucracy, not more redtape, but the certainty that here at home, and especially in our dealings with other nations, environmental issues have the status they deserve."
Source: State of the Union address, Jan 31 1990
"Our objective is to help the Baltic peoples achieve their aspirations, not to punish the Soviet Union"
Source: State of the Union address, Jan 29 1991
Ronald Reagan
"We will not tolerate wage discrimination based on sex, and we intend to strengthen enforcement of child support laws to ensure that single parents, most of whom are women, do not suffer unfair financial hardship."
"The future belongs not to governments and ideologies which oppress their peoples."
Source - State of the Union address, Jan 25 1983
I'm sure there have been a few pink elephants written on this site as well, so feel free to dig up those!