From the Editors August 29, 2011 Issue

Be one of those

The Editors

Who doesn’t want to be a good influence on others? From personal finance to career choices, from politics to religion—it’s natural to want to impart wisdom you’ve picked up along life’s highways and byways, in the hope that you can help family and friends improve their lives. 

We may share our insights on everything from gaining health and happiness to maximizing job performance to learning to draw boundaries in personal relationships. But how many times do our recommendations stick?

The Greek philosopher Aristotle gave us a few tips about the art of persuasion. He said you need to rely on three components: ethos, pathos, and logos—character, emotions, and reason. The likelihood that you’ll influence people goes up if you, 1) convey that you’ve got a good character (ethos); 2) make an emotional appeal (pathos) that shows people you understand their concerns; and 3) convey a rational basis (logos) for your suggestions. And lots of people, from Aristotle’s day to ours, have learned that his advice works. 