Crafting trust
Being a politician is not easy nowadays. A large share of the population despises them. There is a way out.
75% of people trust their employer but only 48% the government. Edelman’s latest findings quantify the suboptimal image of the political class worldwide. Citizens question their competences and a new Eurobarometer survey even reveals that artificial intelligence is seen as more effective. Politicians are not dumb; they have to compromise on complex proposals instead of demonstrating phronesis.
Without phronesis, an archaic term for practical wisdom, you can easily appear to live in an ivory tower. If you have the image of a bureaucrat or expert, hold back any abstract statistics and show the audience that you can solve relevant problems to earn their trust.
How to craft trust
Find three problems a typical member of your target audience faces.
(e.g. for cabdrivers this could be engine problems, traffic jams and taxes)Acquire the skills (or knowledge) to solve them.
(e.g. know how to clear filters, circumvent busy roads ways or claim money back from the state)Demonstrate with the help of an anecdote or video that you could solve these issues.
(e.g. Recently, I met a cab driver who told me he has to work 5h more per week because petrol got more expensive. 5h means an extra shift. That’s a massive burden but there might be a solution for those of you with an older car. Did you know that you can switch to an electric vehicle? If you do it this year, you get a €10,000 premium from the government.)
Exercise
After five years of military rule, Thailand calls to the ballot box. Show a group of teachers that you are a crafted problem solver.
Learn the techniques. Boost your confidence. Make your point.
Click here to jump the curve.