Be a "But-Flipper"

I just heard the greatest audio excerpt from Kirk Weisler, a motivational speaker. He recommended the virtues of being a "but-flipper." What exactly, you are wondering, is a but flipper? The best way to describe it is with a demonstration.

If someone were to ask you if Bob was a good fit for an open job position, and you replied, "Bob's resume is a perfect match - his qualifications are just what we are looking for - but he is not really a team player. He's quite a maverick." What do you think about Bob?

If, on the other hand, you replied, "Bob is not really a team player - he's quite a maverick - but his resume is a perfect match. His qualifications are just what we are looking for." You get a completely different opinion of Bob, don't you?

Kirk Weisler's comment was that the "but" erases everything that goes before it. We need to make sure we flip our statements to end with the positive, so people will remember the positive. See if this simple practice doesn't put a positive slant on all your communication.

So, next time you use a "but," ask yourself where you want your but to end up. If you are tempted to end a sentence with a negative, be a but-flipper!