Some years past, Queen Elizabeth was visiting the United States to attend the Kentucky Derby and was expected to speak to the audience gathered at the event. What could the queen of England possibly have in common with these individuals? She began her speech by telling about how every year in England, there is also a championship horse race and that she always attends it because of her great love for the sport. This statement brought immediate applause from the audience. Later reports indicated that people felt a sense of connection with the queen, as if she were really one of them. In just moments, with a few carefully chosen words, Queen Elizabeth won over what could have been a hard-toreach audience. Suppose that you have to speak to an audience with whom you seem to have nothing in common. What topics might be useful in establishing common ground with virtually any audience?