Persuasion represents an important communication skill, whether conversing with colleagues, instructing staff, or educating patients. (Note that examples of patient education can be found throughout this issue of Optometric Management, including our “Practicing Medical Optometry” [PMO] section [see below]).

Listeners are more persuaded when communicators appear more confident, explains Jonah Berger, associate professor of marketing at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. In the article, “Speak With Confidence: Four Fixes That Work,” on the “Knowledge at Wharton” website, Mr. Berger, an expert on social influence and consumer behavior, lists action steps to project greater confidence:

• Don’t use hedge words, such as “around,” “generally,” and “maybe,” as these express uncertainty.
• Use definites (for example, “clearly,” “obviously,” and “definitely”), which remove doubt.
• Rather than hesitating and using “uh” and “um,” which can make you seem less confident and powerful, try pausing more.
• Use the present — not past — tense. Present tense suggests stability.

PRACTICE MEDICAL OPTOMETRY: DIABETES

This month’s PMO theme of diabetes is captured in articles on diagnosis, nutrition and lifestyle, and COVID-19:

• In “Detect Diabetes-Caused Changes in the Outer Retina," Dr. Sherrol A. Reynolds shows that diabetic retina disease affects all layers of the retina.
• Dr. Paul Chous explains how COVID-19 impacts diabetes and the protective measures to take in “Consider COVID-19’s Affect on Diabetes."
• In “Decrease Patient Stress During Diagnostic Testing," Dr. Steven Ferrucci offers effective steps to educate patients and put them at ease during testing.
• In “Nutrition and Lifestyle for Diabetic Patients," Dr. Laurie Capogna explores the optometrist’s role in facilitating nutrition and lifestyle changes in diabetic patients.

Educating patients who have diabetes can persuade them to adopt a healthy lifestyle, which ultimately can help them better manage this chronic condition. OM