The opening chapter of Soder’s Language of Leadership addresses the importance of persuasion, the types of persuasion one can use, and the societal reception of persuasion altogether. Soder claims that skills and understanding of persuasion are prerequisites for effective leadership. After all, it is hard to be a leader when no one can understand or relate to your ideas.
To aid in the comprehension of persuasion Soder presents Aristotle’s persuasive proofs. Ethos refers to the credibility and character of the speaker/writer, which is largely based on reputation or previous action. Pathos encompasses appealing to and establishing connections through emotion. Oppositely, logos represents persuasion based purely on factual credit and logic.
