I was listening to a young speaker conducting a microphone check for a presentation before a large meeting.
People at the back of the room kept saying, “Project!” and “Louder, please.” We were already having trouble hearing the speaker, even before the room was full of people, but their approach wasn’t working.
Frankly, I wasn’t surprised. Just telling someone to yell doesn’t solve the problem of projection. Similarly, just speaking louder doesn’t create a powerful voice.
Imagine… you’ve just been introduced.
In a few seconds, you’re going to deliver the speech of your life. Your opening hook is crisp. Your closing is powerful. Your stories are polished. Your attire is impeccable. You are confident.
And then the power goes out.
Or someone spills juice on you.
Or music starts blaring from outside the room.
Or the CEO leaves the room.
Or your key prop is missing.
Or a mild earthquake shakes the room.
Or your shirt ripped.
Or your computer freezes.
Or … (insert your worst nightmare here) .
There’s only one thing you can do — only one thing you must do.
Thank You For Arguing is a fascinating introduction to classical and modern rhetoric, packed with speechwriting lessons for every public speaker.
It is grounded in the wisdom of the past (beginning with Aristotle’s ethos, pathos, and logos) and yet written for modern speakers with countless references to everyday persuasive examples.
This article is the latest of a series of public speaking book reviews here on Six Minutes.
The previous article of the Ethos, Pathos, and Logos series defined pathos and described why emotional connection is so important for your presentations.
In this article, we explore how to build strong pathos in your presentations through a variety of emotional pathways.
American psychologist William James wrote:
The emotions aren’t always immediately subject to reason, but they are always immediately subject to action.
Emotions — whether fear or love, pity or anger — are powerful motivators for your audience. An audience emotionally stimulated in the right way is more likely to accept your claims and act on your requests. By learning how to make emotional appeals, you greatly improve your effectiveness as a speaker.
In this article of the Ethos, Pathos, and Logos series, we turn our attention to pathos, and the role of emotion in persuasive public speaking.
Six Minutes weekend reviews bring the best public speaking articles to you.
This review features topics including:
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