Leaders often fail to create understanding and meaning because they lack clarity around their own reasoning. They are barely aware of their own hypotheses. Battle cries, mottos and the power of suggestion reign. Rhetoric is intended to persuade. To do so, your main hypothesis about causal factors of importance must be crystal clear and the arguments in support of your hypothesis must be strong. Management groups often become a contradiction in terms because they are not in agreement about the main hypothesis and arguments. Meaning and direction thus also become vague. Rhetoric is the discipline leaders have forgotten. 

Themes of relevance include: 

• Rhetoric, persuasion and leadership.
• Ethos, pathos and logos in rhetoric.
• Are you able to create shared meaning and direction in your communication?
• Can you persuade through reason?
• Are your arguments clear and consistent?
• Are you able to motivate people’s emotions and enthusiasm – because reason persuades, emotions prompt actions.
• Can you convince others through your character – who you are and what you stand for?