I'm not having it

Please don't try to pumpkin spice me

As you may recall from an earlier issue of Illuminate Me, I start each day with my favorite beverage: a Peet’s almond milk latte with cinnamon powder steamed into the milk.

I’m a regular customer and always order the same thing, so the crew decided to name my drink after me:

How cool is this? I’m like the Norm of Peet’s!

Usually, I savor the sweet nectar that is my first sip, but around this time last year, something went horribly wrong.

Instead of cinnamon-y latte goodness, I tasted… pumpkin pie. 🤢

Possibly unpopular opinion alert: I’m not a fan of pumpkin spice anything.

I know, I know. Don’t @ me. For some, me saying that is on par with sacrilege.

It’s not that I don’t enjoy my annual slice of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, but I definitely don’t want to drink it in a latte.

Especially my namesake latte.

Note: That’s cinnamon on top, NOT something that flavors Thanksgiving pies.

I think of myself as someone open-minded enough to listen to, consider, and understand dissenting views, but this is where I draw the line.

No one’ll convince me that a pumpkin spice latte is the way to go. (Sorry, not sorry.)

Believe me, plenty have tried.

Here’s what doesn’t work when trying to persuade someone to your way of thinking:

• Shaming (“Only weirdos dislike pumpkin spice lattes.” I’m okay with that.)

• Threats and bullying (“You better drink that PSL or else!” Are there pumpkin spice latte police I don’t know about?)

• Fear tactics (“Aren’t you worried that you’ll miss out?” I can sleep at night knowing I’ll never feel that way.)

The truth is that none of these are effective methods and will often backfire, shutting down communication altogether.

Here's why: Though many mistakenly believe persuasion is all about manipulation, this in-demand soft skill is really about influence.

Pumpkin spice lattes aside, your ability to defend your ideas and convince others that they matter can make or break your career.

In my latest Forbes article, I share how to harness the power of this soft skill* in your professional world.

Shine on,

Amy

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P.P.S. When I’m not writing this newsletter or steering clear of all things pumpkin spice, I’m a social media ghostwriter. (Yep, that’s a thing). I help founders, entrepreneurs, and CXOs craft their stories to communicate and connect better by magnifying their reach and impact. (Think personal branding and thought leadership.) Learn more here.

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Click the button to spread some sunshine.

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*Remember in last week’s asterisk text where I said I started a soft series on Forbes? Well, this is the second article in that series; here’s a link to the first, on empathy.