Mickey Koss is a graduate of West Point Military Academy with a degree in Economics. He spent four years in the Infantry Regiment before transitioning to the Fiscal Regiment.
Like it or not, being a part of this burgeoning community makes up a tiny minority of the global population. With the potential of this technology to fundamentally change the world, you have been chosen for leadership roles whether you like it or not. The importance of leadership cannot be overstated, and like battlefield leadership, I think leadership in Bitcoin is a responsibility and a moral responsibility.
The US Army has a good definition of leadership in its FM (Field Manual) 6-22. Essentially, it states, leaders are those who “provide purpose, direction, motivation, and vision” for those who serve below them. I think “famous Bitcoin” Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson would agree that everyone is already looking for goals. You just need to find the direction and motivation for it to solve the puzzle. Do it right and you can change someone’s life. Get it wrong and they could shut down Bitcoin forever.
Whether it’s memes seeking to short hedge funds, environmentalism or social justice groups, they all share a common theme; people come together in search of collective meaning. I see them as organic attempts to build community; people have the opportunity to be involved in things that are meaningful, things that are bigger than themselves and things that they think can change the world.
Bitcoin addresses all of these needs – asymmetric returns, community, financial advancement, environmental improvement, advancement of social goals and equality. Individuals just need a little guidance; a little leadership, if you will.
Perhaps the most important skill of a good Army leader is counterintuitive. listen. The best leaders are decisive only when the situation calls for it, which is almost never the case. Bossy leaders run the risk of binning the mindsets of employees or subordinates, resulting in suboptimal solutions. Likewise, domineering Bitcoiners could be derailed on their orange pitches, keeping people away from the life rafts they may so desperately need.
Perhaps the most effective orange pilling trick I’ve found is actually listening more and talking less. In doing so, you’ll be able to better assess people’s needs and interests, narrow down discussions, and reduce the risk of alienation. Everyone isn’t necessarily a hardcore libertarian libertarian, and that’s okay. That doesn’t mean Bitcoin isn’t for them. You just need to discover their motivation. You have to lead them.
Reflective listening as an orange pilling technique
During my graduate program, I also had the opportunity to complete the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Conflict and Cooperation. This is probably the most useful part of the entire experience. One of the most useful skills we’ve learned is called “reflective listening,” which is essentially listening between the lines and reflecting on clarifying questions to the speaker, not only showing that you’re actually listening, but also gaining a deeper understanding of their Meaning is trying to communicate.1
If you want to improve your orange ball game, you need to learn how to talk less, at least at first. You need to know where people are coming from to determine the best route that leads them to the orange brick road of freedom. You need to learn how to listen better.
Take a conversation as an example:
“Mitch, can we talk quickly? I’ve been working on AMC and Gamestop and would like to hear your thoughts.”
my reply:
“It sounds like you’re interested in asymmetric return opportunities for your money. I’d love to talk about AMC and Gamestop and share with you something I’ve been working on lately, especially in the Bitcoin space.”
Bitcoiners are a bunch of hopeful and excited people. When Bitcoiners see a small window of opportunity and aggressively conduct information penetration attacks in an attempt to unleash the ideological pressure valve that has built up over days, weeks, or months. It might be fun, it might feel good, but more often we’re just annoying people, annoying them, or confusing them—or even pushing them out of Bitcoin as a financial lifeboat.
no agenda
The conversation I cited earlier that started with Wall Street betting on the bear squeeze strategy ended up being one of my most successful Orange Ball moments. The person who reached out to me was actually an old commander from my youth, my former boss. One of the reasons it works so well in the first place is because I listen before I speak. Second, because he trusted me. It’s hard to just give an orange pill on the street to someone you don’t even know. Why should they listen to you? too crazy.
Also, just because I see the orange pill as a moral imperative doesn’t mean I’m inserting this topic into every conversation I have. Frontal attacks are rarely successful and can do more harm than good. No agenda is the name of the game, it requires a certain level of improvisation, which takes effort on its own. Powerful improv skills require proof of work to do well; if you don’t know enough about Bitcoin, you’ll never be able to help other people do the same thing.
So here are some tips to help you keep your relationships intact and keep your orange pill game strong:
- Match the energy and rhythm of your talking partner:
If they’re barely there and you’re speaking a million words per minute, maybe it’s not the best time. Conversely, if they are enthusiastically speaking out about their concerns about the environment and energy use, you should do your best to match their intensity with at least conveying interest.
- Ask open-ended questions to ensure understanding and maintain momentum:
“You have no right to judge my energy usage” is probably not a good response to environmental concerns. Try asking some open-ended questions: “What if the world had abundant, nearly free, clean energy? How would that affect your perception of your network’s electricity usage?” Asking others open-ended questions not only makes you more Gaining insight into other people’s perspectives can also prevent you from continuing to attack and improve their defenses. The goal is to keep the conversation going, not make a point or dunk.
- Conversation with curiosity:
If you’ve ever listened to Jordan Peterson talking to someone, you’ve probably noticed long pauses between statements or questions. That’s because Peterson is actually listening, and actually thinking about how to respond. Embrace silence, listen intently and respond thoughtfully. It’s amazing when and how bitcoin was inserted into the conversation. Make it a game. How seamlessly I can spill it to the point of being barely noticeable. Soon they will come to you.
jump on a life raft
If Bitcoin really is the life raft that can save humanity from the hell of legality and tyranny, why wouldn’t you want to help guide as many people as possible to a brighter future with you? Accept responsibility and help create the future you want to see.
source:
1. How to Practice Reflective Listening (with Tips and Examples) | Indeed.com
This is a guest post by Mickey Koss. The views expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of BTC Inc. or Bitcoin Magazine.
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