It’s hard to beat the power of personal experience as a factor to convince a television audience.
The redoubtable British businesswoman Nicola Horlick used it to great effect recently in a BBC debate on the government’s proposed changes to government employee pensions. The argument over whether the current system was actually affordable or not had been heated, with some speakers saying it was, and other saying it wasn’t. Then Horlick intervened.
“I’ve worked in the pension fund industry for 28 years and I’ve managed local authority pensions as well as private pension funds and I’m telling you now it’s not sustainable or affordable…” she said.
That just about ended the argument, which swiftly took another direction. Quite apart from common politeness, it would have been very hard for any other speaker – apart from another investment fund manager with similar experience – to contradict her. She had established unbeatable credentials.
For extra impact, Horlick moved to disarm any idea that her comment might have been motivated by subjective factors, adding: “… and I’m saying that as someone who is not a politician, not partisan, not political, but having been in the industry for a long time.”
So if you have first-hand experience which can convince an audience, even in an uncontested context, don’t be shy about using it.
“I spent two weeks in the famine zone last month, and I can assure you that food stocks are almost exhausted.”
“I’ve spent more than 15 years in African agricultural research, and I believe this to be the most exciting development for at least a decade.”
“I’ve spent most of my career in Ruritanian banking and I’ve never know the sector so pessimistic about the prospects.”
No one’s going to say, or even think: “No you didn’t”, the natural inclination is to be convinced by your special experience, and thus your special right to pronounce on the subject.
“I”– or “the perpendicular pronoun”, as it was memorably described in the British comedy series “Yes, Prime Minister” – is a powerful tool.
Oliver Wates, MediaTrain
