This book provides a rhetorical manual for political and business leaders to motivate followers even in times of hardship. It covers the fine art of persuasion and argues that there are four speeches every leader has to know: the opening speech, the executioner speech, the consolation speech, and the farewell speech. The authors explore how leaders could speak in order to appear credible to an audience, and they argue that the leader has to take on suffering and give meaning to the suffering people experience. The book analyzes speeches from a wide variety of speakers, including Sir Winston Churchill, Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, and Angela Merkel, and ends with a rhetorical dictionary for leaders to help readers familiarize themselves with helpful terms from rhetorical theory.

Provides an insightful practical introduction drawing upon classical rhetorical theory Includes a rhetorical dictionary for political and business leaders Explores speeches given by world leaders, from the political sphere and beyond Highlights the significance of suffering as something a leader must take on

Autorentext
Joar Haga is Associate Professor II of Church History at NLA University College, Norway, and Associate Professor of Church History at VID Specialized University, Norway.

Bård Norheim is Associate Professor of Practical Theology at NLA University College, Norway.

Inhalt
Chapter 1 Introduction: A Rhetoric of Suffering.- Chapter 2 The Opening Speech Envisioning the Future.- Chapter 3 The Executioner Speech: Communicating Tough Decisions.- Chapter 4 The Consolation Speech: The Leader as Comforter.- Chapter 5 The Farewell Speech: Leaving a Legacy Worth Suffering For.- Epilogue.- Rhetorical Dictionary for Leaders.- Index.