Building Credibility

Character may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion. –Aristotle

You can not dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one. –James A. Froude

Greek philosopher Heraclitus's famous maxim, "Character is destiny," has echoed through the ages: if you want to win the audience's trust, you must demonstrate that you are a person of character. Aristotle argues that establishing good character is one of the most important means of persuasion. Roman orator Quintillian defines persuasive rhetoric as essentially "the good man speaking well." British historian James A. Froude takes the colloquial idea of "building character" one step further, leading us to imagine a laborious undertaking in a blacksmith's forge, shaping "character" with a hammer. The literature surrounding public speaking emphasizes the importance of establishing good character, but also admits that it is not easy.

Credibility, Character, and Caring

Personal character is an important addition to the elements of credibility we discussed in the last segment . However, it is important to note that, for a public speaker, character is not as simple as being a nice person or a law-abiding citizen. Public speakers are responsible for communicating something of value to a large group of people. A public speaker of character should listen to the needs of the audience, entertain potential objections, walk the audience through opposing viewpoints, and respond to questions. Show your listeners that you're looking out for them. After all, why should they trust you if you don't care about them? To bring the audience's needs and interests to the forefront of your speech, follow these steps:

1. Find common ground with your audience.
2. Appeal to shared beliefs and values.
3. Identify a shared goal.
4. Return to this shared goal throughout the speech.
5. Demonstrate that you have considered other perspectives on the issue.
6. Show that you understand the appeal of opposing positions.
7. Make a case for your own position.