The Ancient Greek Secret to Leadership Transformation: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos

Whether you're a seasoned executive or an up-and-coming leader, this post will provide valuable insights into the power of effective communication and how to master it.

In the last post, I had described the value of framing a message and gave examples on how simple tweaks to framing a message can be the difference between building an inspiring workplace and a dissatisfied one. Highly encourage to read it.

Breaking the Mold: How Simple Framing Can Build Engineering Leaders Out Of Engineering Managers

In this post, I’ll explain techniques one can practice to improve on effective communication. Effective communication is an essential skill for any leader, yet it's one that is often overlooked or undervalued. The ability to craft a message that resonates with your audience and inspires action is crucial for success in any industry.

But what makes a message truly effective? Is it the logical arguments presented? The emotional appeal to connect with the audience? Or the credibility and trustworthiness of the speaker?

In this post, we'll explore how the use of ethos, logos, and pathos can help leaders frame their messages and create more meaningful connections with their audience. Whether you're a seasoned executive or an up-and-coming leader, this post will provide valuable insights into the power of effective communication and how to master it.

2300 years ago, Aristotle established three persuasive rhetoric devices to persuade an audience - Ethos, logos, and pathos. They are also useful in framing a message effectively.

Ethos refers to the speaker's credibility and character. By establishing credibility, the speaker can establish trust with the audience, making it more likely that they will accept the message. A leader who uses ethos effectively can establish trust with their team, making it more likely that they will be receptive to the message. For example, a few years ago, I took responsibility of a team that had severe attrition. The team experienced significant operational load as a result. Very little time was spent on new feature development. As a new leader in the space, I hadn’t built enough trust with this team. I used my reputation as a strong talent magnet and instilled confidence to rebuild this team. My plan was met with skepticism in the beginning but with honest execution of the plan and transparent messaging, the team followed my lead and became more receptive of my ideas leading to long-lasting success.

Logos refers to the use of logical reasoning to support an argument. By presenting a logical argument, a leader can persuade their team that their message is reasonable and sound. Leaders who use logos effectively provide evidence and data to support their argument, making it more persuasive. For example, we were once asked to stop development of a high-visible program that had been in development for about 6 months. The engineering team was unhappy and needless to say everyone close to the initiative were unhappy. Business projections, goals for the year and people career goals were associated with this initiative. When our leader shared how the market has significantly changed during this period and that we’d be better off pivoting so we can leap frog from that position, it was met with criticism. But it was the right decision. Our leader shared how some of the tech built can still be repurposed to accelerate towards the new objective. The team was able to rally behind this change after they understood the rationale.

Pathos refers to the use of emotional appeals to persuade an audience. By tapping into the emotions of their team, a leader can create a sense of urgency and motivation, making it more likely that the team will act on the message. This is exactly what happened in Hyundai’s transformation. Jose Munoz is the President and COO of Hyundai Motor Company, having joined the company in 2019. He inherited a company with significant problems, including poor coordination and integration amongst business units, branding issues, and an ill-suited dealer network. Munoz, a PhD in nuclear physics quickly figured out what needed to be done to effectuate a turnaround and power the forward growth of Hyundai in North America. Munoz knew right away how to move forward:  he was empathetic. He says, “First understand the problem; then attack the problem, not the people.”  Of course, people often appear to be the problem; and sometimes they are; but often they are not.  Good people will help solve the problems; those that cannot or won’t tend to self-identify quickly. With his hands on approach, he understood the minds and hearts of the different cultures he managed during the time. He concluded, “Korean management might focus more on matters of the heart, American management tends to focus more on matters of the brain.” Jose Munoz set out to “use brain and heart together”… adding another dimension to the concept of ambidextrous management.

I hope that helps you see how you can apply different rhetoric to communicate your next message effectively. But how can you make this a routine.

Jeff Bezos says, “Good intentions don’t work, mechanisms do”. Improving effective communication is a continuous process and you need to setup a good mechanism around it so you can evaluate your progress periodically.

Here's a sample actionable plan:

1. Set a measurable goal: Decide on a specific goal to work towards, such as having 80% of your team agree that you are a strong communicator.

2. Evaluate your current communication skills: Conduct a self-assessment or gather feedback from colleagues to identify your strengths and weaknesses in communication.

3. Develop a plan: Create a plan to improve your communication skills, including specific actions you can take to address your weaknesses and build on your strengths. This plan should include both short-term and long-term goals.

4. Practice: Implement your plan by practicing your communication skills on a regular basis. This can include activities such as public speaking, active listening, and giving and receiving feedback.

5. Get feedback: Regularly solicit feedback from colleagues, mentors, or coaches to track your progress and identify areas for improvement.

6. Measure progress: Continuously measure progress towards your goal by tracking feedback and assessing improvements in communication effectiveness.

7. Adjust the plan: Adjust your plan as needed based on feedback and results, and continue to work towards your goal of becoming a strong communicator.

Remember, improving your communication skills is a continuous process, and requires intentional effort and practice over time.