2. Don’t bleed. During the Revolutionary War, British soldiers were called "Redcoats" or "Lobster Backs" because they wore red jackets. One reason for this, apparently, was to hide the blood of soldiers who were wounded. This instilled fear in the enemy, who faced rank after rank of steadily advancing British troops seemingly invulnerable to musket fire. It also raised the confidence of the British soldiers, for much the same reason.

This went double for officers, who, in the British tradition, cultivated an air of unflappability and were expected to carry on in the face of calamity as if nothing had happened. The sight of a wounded officer calmly giving orders inspired confidence and courage.

Remember, officers cannot bleed. If your attitude is "Yeah, I took a bullet, but that doesn’t matter, because we’re going to win," then people will look to you for guidance during tough economic times. Describe the situation as you see it, then drop it, except for discussions on how to overcome it.

Acknowledging that times are tough or that things aren’t going quite as well as planned is just good business sense. On the other hand, showing panic or fear — bleeding all over the floor, as it were — is a good way to convince employees that all is lost. If you show confidence, they will feel more confident that their efforts will bear fruit.

3. Use positive words. Words do more than just carry meaning — they elicit sensations, physical responses, memories, associations, and emotions. People respond more strongly to some words than to others. For example, when you read or hear the word "apple," you "see" the familiar red fruit in your mind and perhaps picture yourself biting into a sweet, crunchy, red apple. At the same time, without any conscious effort on your part, your subconscious initiates an involuntary response: your mouth begins to water.

What is the significance of this sequence of events? It shows us that the subconscious mind accepts messages immediately and unconditionally, then prepares the conscious mind and the body to act in accordance with the received message. The subconscious, however, is unable to distinguish between positive and negative words; it responds only to the image it holds. So if you say to somebody, "Don’t let the economy get you down," that person’s subconscious mind hears, "Let the economy get you down." You see, the subconscious mind acts only on the central idea represented by the words, rather than on whether or not these words are preceded by the word "don’t." Thus, even an offhand remark can have a debilitating effect on your efforts to motivate others. Even though your intention might be positive, the way you word your message can have a negative impact on your listener’s subconscious.

To increase people’s motivation in hard economic times, state your message in positive terms. Instead of saying, "Don’t let your customers’ pessimism get you down," say, "Although the economy’s in a turmoil right now, you can still persuade your customers to buy." By stating things in positive terms, you make it less likely that your listener will subconsciously accept only the part of the message that comes after "don’t" and end up discouraged, unmotivated, and unproductive.

About the Author

Tom Connellan is a keynote speaker who specializes in customer loyalty and leadership practices. Companies like Lockheed Martin, General Electric, Bank of America and Motorola are among his clients. Consider Tom as a keynote speaker for your next meeting.