A favorite story about persuasion is about a student who asked a sage how he was so good at persuading others, especially when they were certain that they were right. The sage walked the student over to a stone well in the village square and lowered the bucket into the water. “See the stone rim,” said the sage, “these indentations were not created by a hammer, but by the slow and steady drip of water from the well.” The student replied, “But water is soft and weak.” “Ah, but it has shaped the rim of the stone well,” said the sage. “So too, it is with words. Coarse words may win the moment, but soft truth spoken with respect can change a heart.”
For the past twelve years I have been participating in a networking event called PLUGin. It is a programmed event at the end of the Leadership Program of the Rockies (LPR) Retreat. The purpose of the LPR program is to train top influencers from all walks of life about the American Founding Principles and Free Market Capitalism. The PLUGin event enforces these ideas in the form of a speech competition while engaging the audience and demonstrating how a person’s outside activities and organizations can promulgate those concepts. These ideas consist of studying and understanding individual rights, the proper role of a limited government, and being an active and engaged citizen, all based on the American ideal.
It is with joy that I get to recruit the presenters who are called Connectors and conduct the PLUGin event for the alumni and current class members going through the program. I help guide them using structured techniques taught in class for a three-minute or less speech. The Connector’s use the power of persuasion by captivating an audience for their vote. The challenge is further enhanced since the Connector’s cannot ask for money in their presentation or they are disqualified.
Our Connectors attempt to appeal to the audience with their public policy cause through their non-profit organization or a new idea that can affect civil society and public policy. If someone in the audience likes what they hear, they can make connections with a cause that evening. The Connector’s presentation is voted on and three are awarded cash prizes of $3,000 for first place, $2,000 for second place, and $1,000 for third place that is donated to their organization by a generous sponsor. A panel of judges and audience members help select the winners.
An LPR alumnus created an app that has all the Connector’s contact information and their organization’s purpose along with a photo of them on a landing page so the audience can vote and follow up with any of the presenters after the event. The Connectors receive a list of these voters and reach out through their organization to request support; this could include volunteering, offering specific skills, or providing mentorship.
After the Connector’s presentation, alumni of the program, current class members, and their guests can enjoy conversation and refreshments. This occasion presents an excellent opportunity to network with distinguished leaders from Colorado and across the country who are making significant contributions in their fields.
This year’s winners were as varied as starting a Classical Charter Academy, which will focus on American Founding principles and teaching the skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic as well as the classical virtues. Another winner presented on their organization that protects the individual rights of women and children from the dark evils of sex trafficking and is working to provide resources for survivors. Another winner focused on civic engagement with a civic-tech initiative designed to help everyday citizens get involved in shaping their communities by discovering and serving on local boards and commissions.
A follow-up prize is awarded to a Connector who has the most engagement after six months from the audience members that voted for them. That Connector wins $500 for their organization and two hours of priceless consulting time with LPR’s President. The PLUGin event has helped to launch or expand several organizations over the years including a startup that recruits grandparents to get involved in their grandchildren’s education and advocates for their well-being, to a liberty themed oral communication and leadership skills development program which has received national recognition.
The Connectors at the PLUGin networking event are like the water from the stone well. It is not with coarse words that win the moment but rather with soft-spoken words of respect that can persuade others to understand a point of view. Humility and humor often win the event over hubris. As the great Orison Sweat Marden once said, “The world makes way for the man with an idea.” PLUGin is an event that connects people with an organization or an idea.
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