Ethos, Pathos and Logos in public speaking
Presenting technical concepts
How do you measure your success when presenting, pitching or speaking in public?
I regularly ask this question to clients that I work with. Their answers always include things like winning that big pitch or presentation, persuading my audience to agree with my views, or even just making this group of people laugh.
And they are all wrong.
They are all completely wrong.
Here is why...
That big pitch: your presentation could perhaps just be a box ticking exercise and there is already a supplier in mind who is going to be appointed whatever. It is unwinnable, however you perform.
Persuading that audience: the group that you are speaking to might have such strong, entrenched views that have been built up over a lifetime that there is absolutely nothing you can do to persuade them otherwise. The best that you can hope for is to be one small voice that EVENTUALLY combines with lots of other factors, to help them change their mind.
Making your audience laugh: they might have just had some bad news. There is no way you are going to get a giggle out of them today.
Measuring successful speaking is all about focusing simply on the things that you can control. By adopting this successful speaking mindset, you will focus your efforts positively and usefully on your own performance and the delivery of your message. You will find that you waste less energy worrying about the elements of your presentation that you cannot control.
So if you want to measure yourself as a successful speaker, success is quite simply: clearly, confidently and concisely conveying your message.
All of which, is completely yours to influence. You are the master of your speaking destiny. Amazing.
Want to watch this article as a video?
All of our recent blog posts are recorded as videos too. Click the video to watch this blog post narrated by Rich Watts, public speaking expert and 2x national public speaking champion.
To watch all our public speaking tips videos, visit the Rich Public Speaking Youtube channel here.
