A Guide for Defusing Confrontation and Generating Cooperation ‘VERBAL JUDO: THE GENTLE ART OF PERSUASION’
4. All people want to be given options rather than threats. 5. All people want a second chance when they make a mistake. “Verbal Judo” has chapters on parenting, marriage, managing employees, and other areas in which you need to make your feelings known, have priorities, and want to communicate with others without escalating conflict. This isn’t manipulation. Instead, it involves empathy. It’s trying to understand what others are attempting to communicate, making sure you understand, then responding to those people in a way that honors their needs. In short, “Verbal Judo” is a martial art of the mind and mouth that can show you how to be better prepared for every verbal encounter.
The late Dr. George J. Thompson, president and founder of Verbal Judo Institute and doctor of rhetoric and persuasion, trained in judo and aikido before becoming a police officer in his early 30s. Throughout his career as a public servant, Thompson noticed that some of the officers he worked with seemed to have a natural talent for defusing conflicts and calming people under stress. The ability to resolve conflict through communication didn’t come naturally to Thompson, so he started to analyze the actions of great communicators. That’s when he noticed a similarity between their verbal styles and judo, “the gentle way,” and aikido, “unifying spirit way.”
Drawing from that similarity, Thompson wrote “Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion,” a book that works to improve communication, resolve conflicts, and avoid the most common conversational disasters through simple, easily remembered strategies that deflect and redirect negative behavior. In writing this book, Thompson developed five universal truths: 1. All people want to be treated with dignity and respect. 2. All people want to be asked rather than being told to do something. 3. All people want to know why they are being asked to do something.
STRAWBERRY MANGO PALETAS INGREDIENTS
• 1 1/4 cups strawberries, chopped • 1/2 cup granulated sugar • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt • 2 medium ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and chopped
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DIRECTIONS
1. In a saucepan, toss strawberries with 1/4 cup sugar and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. 2. Add 1/4 cup water and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Cook strawberries until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. 3. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Let cool completely, about 45 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, in a blender, purée mangoes with 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth. Scrape into a medium bowl and clean the blender. Then, purée strawberry mixture until smooth. 5. Into 8 3-ounce ice pop molds, spoon 2 tablespoons mango purée. Add 2 tablespoons strawberry purée to each mold, then top with remaining mango purée, leaving 1/2 inch between filling and top of mold. 6. Using a small knife, gently swirl layers together. 7. Insert ice pop sticks and freeze until solid. 8. Dip molds in hot water for a few seconds, then unmold paletas and serve immediately.
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