The Art of Yes

What happens in your mind when you hear the word 'Yes'? Well it depends what the context is of course but in most cases it will inform us that something positive is being communicated. Perhaps we have become so used to associating the word 'yes' with positive action that our mind may start switching to positive thought mode just because we hear the word.

It occurred to me that some people have formed this word into a method on it's own of switching people into a positive frame of mind. How many of us have observed a certain Mr Gordon Ramsey motivating his victims with phrases such as 'start that lot again ... yes?' or 'these ones are going to table three ... yes?'. In other words, he makes a statement of what is about to happen and then adds an emphatic 'Yes?' to the end.

Mr Ramsey is known as a good motivator and seems to use this construction regularly to not only pass out orders but also to get agreement from the recipient of the command. Because the word 'yes' is spoken as a question, a response is required and when the recipient responds with another 'yes', their fate is sealed, their mind has just gone into positive action mode.

Some media types are also using this type of linguistic construction in catch phrases. I noted that the T.V. show going by the name of 'Bargain Hunters' ends with the host commanding 'See us next time on Bargain Hunters ... Yes?', at which point the contestants all shout 'Yes!'.

If we analyze the suggestion being given here, we see that not only is the original suggestion given in a definitive and authoritative way - we are not being asked, we are being told what the future holds. We are being told 'See us next time on Bargain Hunters' - that's a command. Next we get the affirmation. Not only does the first 'Yes' act as a question, but it puts our mind in a positive motivational state. Then because of the requirement for a response, not only do the contestants repeat the positive affirmation, but if we have heard the catch phrase before, we repeat it to ourselves in our head.

Pretty clever huh. Does it work? Well it certainly leaves us with a more positive attitude than if we just heard 'Please come back to see the show next time'. It may have more effect than we would like to admit, but it certainly seems to work for Mr Ramsey!

So ... Come back to read the next installment from the Mind Explorer ... YES?