Ethos, Pathos, Logos: The 3 Pillars of Speaking

Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.

– Benjamin Franklin

Do you know the secret of public speaking? Do you want to know how to make a bigger impact on your audience? Is it important to you that you make a connection with them in sharing your message? I’ll give you a hint on just how to do it: The secret is over 2,300 years old! How does a theory dating back to the 4th century B.C.E. have anything to do with public speaking in the year 2018?

In a word — everything!

Thanks to the Greek philosopher Aristotle we have one of the most effective guides to public speaking ever written, which has been the basis for nearly every public speaking book written since his time. When he compiled his thoughts into On Rhetoric he included his theory of the three persuasive appeals.

Put into the simplest terms, they correspond to:

• Ethos: credibility (or character) of the speaker
• Pathos: emotional connection to the audience
• Logos: logical argument

Without credibility, your audience will not be able to trust in the material you provide. If you do not create an emotional connection to your audience you will not feel relate-able to them. And If your presentation is not logical your audience will not be able to apply the valuable information that you are sharing with them. Together, they make up the three persuasive appeals. In other words, these are the three essential qualities that your speech or presentation must have before your audience will accept your message.

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Trushar Mody is BUSINESS STRATEGIST, SOFT SKILLS TRAINER, OUTSIDE-THE-BOX THINKER AND THOUGHT PROVOKER. He is a Warehouse of knowledge and wants to share it. His passion lies in teaching  Wholestic Learning and Emotional Intelligence.

Trushar Mody is a role model who has extended himself to help others along their own journeys. He works from his passion of helping people live their lives with purpose and without fear. He is a managing partner and senior trainer at Encore Consulting Group.