Elon Musk was frustrated.
He had been experiencing mild sniffles, a cough, and a slight fever, enough symptoms to convince him to get tested for Covid-19. Musk, who obviously has more resources and greater access to medical treatment than the average person, said on Twitter that he took a total of four tests.
“Something extremely bogus is going on,” Musk tweeted. “Two tests came back negative, two came back positive. Same machine, same test, same nurse. Rapid antigen test from BD.”
The internet was quick to respond. Some reached out to Musk to see how he was feeling. Writer Stephen King simply replied, “You’re pos.” A scientist openly mocked Musk, calling him “Space Karen” and accusing the tech CEO of not reading up on the test “before complaining to his millions of followers.”
But then, something very interesting happened.
Musk decided to reach out directly on Twitter to an expert in the field of communicable disease. What followed was a master class in communication, persuasion, and emotional intelligence.
Breaking Down Barriers
Dr. Michael Mina is an immunologist, physician, and Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He tweets regularly on the Covid-19 pandemic, breaking down complex research for easy access to the public.
It appears that somehow, Musk stumbled across Mina’s research, and proceeded to ask him (via Twitter) for his opinion on a specific type of Covid test. To make sure he understood things properly, Musk concluded his tweet by asking: “If I’m asking the wrong question, what is a better question?”
Mina begins his reply on a positive note (“Great question,” he exclaims). He follows that by:
- Getting into the nuances of Musk’s inquiry
- Presenting alternate scenarios, directly answering Musk’s question in the light of each one
- Offering to send Musk a more detailed answer via direct message
- Attempting to motivate Musk to act
“I think you’d be interested in the detailed answer,” Mina tells Musk. “You’re a scientist and it would be GREAT if you could help inform the world of the right answer to your question. So much confusion abounds.”
@elonmusk – My quick answers to your question are above. I think you’d be interested in the detailed answer. Send me a DM if you want. You’re a scientist and it would be GREAT if you could help inform the world of the right answer to your question – So much confusion abounds.
— Michael Mina (@michaelmina_lab) November 15, 2020
(You can read Dr. Mina’s full reply here.)
Mina’s reply is a masterful example of emotional intelligence, which includes the ability to break down barriers and manage the emotions of others.
Musk hasn’t hidden the fact that he is quite skeptical of the public perception of Covid-19 and its effects. But those who follow Musk also know that he is a big fan of learning from experts in a given field.
Mina could have blasted Musk’s previous skepticism. He could have spoken in a disparaging manner, or mocked Musk like the scientist mentioned earlier. Or, he could have made the mistake many experts do, by answering the question in a way that is overly complex or difficult to understand.
Instead, Mina did the opposite.
By commending Musk’s question, he sets the tone and encourages a respectful conversation. He provides evidence Musk is likely to respect, showing he understands and can show empathy for his audience–in this case, Musk … but also Musk’s millions of followers.
Mina also keeps a balanced view of himself by explaining things as simple as possible, while taking time to address nuance (something that is extremely difficult to do on a platform like Twitter).
Finally, Mina offers to provide more time and attention to Musk if he were to reach out–but then he goes even further. By acknowledging Musk as a scientist and kindly imploring him to spread the facts, he assumes the best in Musk, and appeals to his emotions.
This is important, because convincing someone of a truth is different from motivating them to do something about it. In order to truly galvanize others to action, you have to stir their emotions–penetrating deeply to affect a person’s thoughts and feelings.
Oh, and if you’re wondering if it worked … it did. Just over an hour later, Musk retweeted the entire conversation.
So, if you’re working to convince someone who is skeptical of something you believe strongly in, remember:
1. Set a respectful tone: Acknowledge or praise.
2. Show empathy: Provide evidence your partner is likely to respect.
3. Keep a balanced view of yourself: Keep things simple.
Do this right, and you’ll become a masterful communicator–and make emotions work for you, instead of against you.
