We rarely hear a compelling speech; presentations are often bogged down by unintelligible charts. At the end the audience wonders: “what did the speaker mean to tell us?” It must not be like that! In my rhetoric seminar for executives I can show it can work otherwise.
Rhetoric is something everyone makes use of be it in conversation or in a speech. Most of the time it happens unconsciously, although there are clear rules you can learn. Whoever knows these rules and uses them well, can easily “kill two birds with one stone”.
If we want to reach our objectives, we must often persuade other people of our ideas and visions. In order to do that, we need conclusive arguments, no matter if we express them verbally or in writing. On the other hand it is as crucial to understand and categorize our interlocutor’s arguments.
How many times have you felt verbally attacked in a (virtual) discussion or debate and were too stunned to react appropriately? Didn’t the right answer come to your mind about ten minutes later?