The 3 Secret Ingredients to Becoming a Master Persuader
Master the Art (and Science) of Persuasion (Aristotle's Rhetoric)
In this issue:
Let’s Start With a History Lesson
Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle
Applying Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle
Download The Rhetorical Triangle Worksheet!
Summary & Final Thoughts
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"To write well, express yourself like the common people, but think like a wise man." - Aristotle
Let’s Start With a History Lesson
In ancient Greece, around 384 B.C., there lived a philosopher named Aristotle.
He wasn’t just any thinker—he became one of the most influential minds in history. Aristotle studied under Plato and wrote about everything from science to politics.
But one of his most lasting contributions was his work on the Art of Persuasion - Rhetoric - which was a collection of his students’ notes in response to his lectures.
Initially, like most radical ideas in ancient history, Aristotle’s ideas faced criticism from philosophers of the time. Most of them called it nothing less than “immoral, dangerous, and unworthy of serious study.”
Aristotle believed in observing the world, gathering evidence, and making logical connections—ideas that later became central to scientific methods. His ability to combine rational thinking with real-world observations is what set him apart from many other thinkers of his time, making him a timeless figure in intellectual history.
Thankfully, his ideas from the Rhetoric stood the test of time. He later passed his ideas on to Alexander the Great, teaching him that to lead well, you must know how to persuade.
Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle
Aristotle believed that to lead effectively, one must appeal not just to logic (Logos), but also to emotion (Pathos) and credibility (Ethos).
“The most important single work on persuasion ever written.” — most rhetoricians on Aristotle’s Rhetoric
Centuries later, these three pillars—Ethos, Pathos, and Logos—are still the backbone of communication, from TED Talks to negotiation tables to team communication.
In this post, we will unpack Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle and learn the three secret ingredients to becoming a master persuader and how to apply them in the modern workplace. Whether you're pitching an idea to your team or driving change across an organization, mastering this powerful technique will help you to improve your persuasion skills.
Now, let’s look at each of the elements one by one: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos.
Ethos
“To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful.” — Edward R. Murrow
The first element of the Rhetorical Triangle is Ethos, which appeals to the credibility of the speaker or writer.
Modern-day studies have revealed that the credibility and experience of the speaker play a critical role in the outcome of a persuasive argument.
Have you wondered why it is harder for an un unknown or upcoming startup to get funding compared to an established firm?
Or why do people naturally get attracted to some leaders or public figures?
It all goes back to the credibility and character.
How to establish your Ethos:
As a leader, when you are presenting to influence your stakeholders, consider these factors:
What skills or experience make you qualified to speak on this topic?
How strongly do you genuinely feel about this topic? (note that smart audience can tell when you are faking your enthusiasm)
Why should the audience trust you?
What makes you credible and reliable?
Have you noticed how TED speakers are usually well-known experts in their field? And when they’re not well-known, they typically start off talking about their background or expertise.
They are trying to establish their Ethos.
Pathos
“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion.” — Dale Carnegie
The second element of the Rhetorical Triangle is Pathos, which appeals to the values of the audience.
Humans are emotional beings, and to effectively persuade, you need to tap into your audience’s emotional senses.
You need to understand your audience, and know what they want and care about. There is no point delivering a tactical and deep-dive presentation to an executive, or a strategic presentation to a junior employee.
How to establish your Pathos:
When you deliver an argument to your stakeholders, consider these factors:
Do you know who your target audience is? What are their values, and what do they care about?
Are you using words, language, and images that are relevant to your target audience?
Are you using examples, stories, and data that the audience will be able to relate to?
There is a famous piece of advice that I heard many years ago which applies to any kind of content - speech, blog, tweet, or even a book: when you deliver your message, speak to the audience’s emotions and what they care about.
Logos
“Logic is invincible, because in order to combat logic it is necessary to use logic.” — Pierre Boutroux
The third and final element of the Rhetorical Triangle is Logos, which appeals to the logic of the argument.
No matter how strong your credentials, or how relevant your presentation may be, you cannot ignore the strength of the argument itself.
Logos focuses on the content (or text) of the presentation — what is being said, what is being shown, and the flow and sequence of the delivery.
How to establish your Logos:
When delivering your argument or presentation, consider the following factors:
Is your argument clear, concise, and to the point?
Do you have strong data/evidence to back up your argument or point?
Have you arranged your argument in a logical, easy-to-follow order?
Will your audience “get” the point you are trying to bring across?
Logos is like your final punch - to get that message across, to win that debate, to get that approval. As is famously said, “Content is king.”
Applying Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle
Now that we have a fair understanding of the three elements, next, we will look at strategies and tactics to help us master the application of these elements in our leadership role.
Now, let’s turn our attention to making this framework work for you in your role as a leader. Doing this methodically will help you master the art of persuasion and accelerate your business results.
Next, we will:
Deep-dive into real-world examples of the application of this technique
Presentation to your leadership: security budget for a new initiative
Inspiring your team: launching a difficult project
Make it real: put the power of this framework into practice with the Aristotle’s Rhetoric worksheet, which includes step-by-step prompts to guide you through the application process
Close out with some key takeaways