Most Challenging Communication 5: Using Persuasion to Make Your Case
One of the most valuable skills you can develop is the ability to be persuasive. I mean, in the best sense of the word. Not coercion or manipulation — but skillful persuasion.
When we are coercive, we apply physical, mental or emotional pressure to get others to act against their will. When we are manipulative we figure out which emotional buttons to push with another so they act according to our wishes – even against their own best judgment.
With persuasion, however, we make a compelling case that uses our credibility to build trust and confidence while appealing to the other person’s intelligence and their feelings about the subject. When using persuasion, we are showing the other person why something is in their best interest.
In his classic work Rhetoric, the philosopher Aristotle, wrote about the three elements of persuasive speech. The ingredients, or persuasive modes, of Aristotle’s Rhetoric were Ethos, Logos and Pathos (367-322 B.C.).
Ethos is representative of your character or credibility. Logos is the element of logic. Pathos is the ingredient of emotional appeal, which includes recognizing the emotional state of your audience.
Having long worked in the field of communication, it appears to me that the best communicators — more specifically, the best persuaders — are masters at mixing these three modes when needing to gain cooperation and collaboration with others.
In Rick Maurer’s work (2009) he cites three types of resistance we are likely to face when promoting change as,
- I don’t get it
- I don’t like it
- I don’t like you
If you match these types of resistance up with the elements of persuasion you can see that logos or logic address the issue of “I don’t get it.” When you are working to persuade others towards change there will be some who literally don’t get it. They need more facts, figures or detailed information. They need you to connect the dots.
The element of pathos, or emotion, addresses the issue of “I don’t like it.” Many – perhaps most people — are resistant to change. We like the status quo, what’s familiar and our normal groove.
When persuading others to change there will be those who feel fearful, indignant, anxious, distrustful or angry, just to name a few negative emotional responses. These people need your reassurance, or to have their anger addressed or fears relieved. This requires emotional intelligence and appeal.
There are also times when people need to be given a higher aim or fine reputation to live up to. Aspiration or inspiration are two additional ways of moving people emotionally.
The final element of pathos calls on us to play our character or credibility card when we are dealt the hand of promoting change. There will be times when our audience includes those who like us, who are neutral and who dislike us.
Despite their standing towards us, they will follow us into change if we have a case (logic and emotion) that shows the change is in their best interest, and if we have some level of credibility with them. This could include your history with the group, special knowledge or education pertaining to the change or a proven track record.
The best way to practice improving your persuasive abilities, when needing to promote change with a group or influence an individual, is to take time up front to consider, articulate and organize these three things:
- What is my point(s) of credibility with this audience or individual? How is my character, history, knowledge or rapport with this audience relevant? You can always start with this and then build with logic and emotion.
- What are the logical points of my case or argument? What facts, figures or statistics do I need to use to show why the change makes sense?
- What is the emotional state of my audience, and what is the best form of emotional appeal for making my case? If you are lobbying individuals who are parts of a group the emotional appeal may be different for each one. When facing a group you will need to consider one or more points that could include empathy, reassurance, confidence or inspiration.
By following these three steps before a persuasive interaction you will make a better case and have more success in influencing your followers.
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