PM Musings

The PM’s Superpower - Persuasion

by William A Moylan, PhD, PMP, FESD, DTM Professor Emeritus, Eastern Michigan University

"Stop thinking about your next point and listen to the one being made."

Many moons ago at a PMI International Symposium, I had the opportunity to be in a lively discussion with several of PMI’s Project Management gurus on the topic of what distinguishes the best project managers from the rest of the crowd. The bevy of talent included Dr. David Cleland of the University of Pittsburg, Professor Elvin Isrig of North Dakota State University, and James Snyder, the founder of PMI. They spoke; I listened. The consensus of these luminaries was that what sets apart the star Project Manager from the also rans is the best PM exudes the power to persuade in their interactions with executive management. Hence, the Project Manager’s superpower is the art of persuasion.

This essay will address the three key elements of persuasion – Ethos, Pathos, Logos, and how a project manager can exhibit these traits in an oral presentation. That is, the PM leverages their ability to tap ethical, emotional, and logical appeal with the audience.

The Persuasion Triangle – Ethos / Pathos / Logos

Ethos, or the ethical appeal, means to convince others of one’s credibility or character. Ethos is the Greek word for “character.” The word “ethic” is derived from ethos.

A project manager uses ethos to show their team and stakeholders that they are a credible source and are worth listening to concerning the PM’s area/s of expertise.

Pathos [emotional appeal] means to persuade others by appealing to their emotions. Pathos is the Greek word for both “suffering” and “experience.” The words empathy and pathetic are derived from pathos.

The project manager can use pathos to evoke understanding and empathy from their team and stakeholders; to make them feel what the PM wants them to feel. A common use of pathos by a PM would be to arouse agreement from their respective audience. Another use of pathos by a PM could be to provoke a level of annoyance from their team to prompt positive action to overcome vexing problems plaguing the project.

Logos, or the appeal to logic, means to convince others by use of logic or reason. Logos is the Greek word for “word.” The true definition of logos can be most closely described as “the word or that by which the inward thought is expressed" and "the inward thought itself" (Liddell & Scott). The word “logic” is derived from logos.

The project manager’s use of logos would be to cite facts and statistics, historical and literal analogies, and citing authorities on a subject. Further, the PM would use logos in their critical thinking to solve specific technical problems on their project.

The project manager needs to blend the proper use of Ethos [ethical], Pathos [emotional], and Logos [logic] in their persuasive role with their project team and stakeholders. How to achieve this persuasive connection is covered next.

Ways for the PM to Develop Persuasive Connections in Project Presentations

As noted, the project manager blends the three key elements of persuasion - Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, to connect with their team and stakeholders, especially in their oral presentations.

The project manager can exhibit Ethos by choosing language that is appropriate for their audience (especially the executive sponsors of their project), word choice germane to their project, and technical jargon attuned to the specific topic of their presentation. This includes the PM choosing the proper level of vocabulary and making oneself sound fair or unbiased.

If the project manager is unknown to the audience, the PM should be first introduced to the assembly. Their introduction should include a listing of their expertise, accomplishments, and pedigree.

The project manager can demonstrate Pathos in their presentation by using meaningful language, emotional tone, emotion evoking examples, stories of emotional events, and implied meanings.

The project manager can show Logos by using advanced vocabulary, theoretical or abstract language, citing facts, using historical and literal analogies, and by constructing logical arguments.

In all cases, the PM must use correct grammar and syntax throughout their presentation.

In everyday terms, the project manager persuades their project team and stakeholders with the proper blend of credibility, connection, and content. Putting this persuasion into action is addressed in the following section.

Putting Power into Persuasion Starts with Ethical Behavior

Telling truth to power is the essence of Ethical behavior, which starts with the virtue of honesty exhibited by the project manager and all team members (O'Brochta et al, 2012). The PMI Ethical Decision-Making Framework (EDMF) is a fantabulous tool for the PM and the project team to utilize when dealing with ethical dilemmas in a five-step process (A copy of the “PMI EDMF 5-Steps” is included at the end of the article).

In the writer’s opinion, the EDMF five steps of Assessment, Alternatives, Analysis, Application, Action, stop short. A critical “step #6” – Announce, needs to happen. That is, the project manager and team must publicize the results of their ethical decision-making process. In this sphere, the PM leverages their power to persuade.

Professional Ethics and the Professional Code of Conduct form the foundation of the Project Management Profession and are at the heart of the professional project manager’s credibility. The PM’s persuasive ability powers their leadership acumen, serving as the wind beneath their project performance wings. Project stakeholders first and foremost value the integrity of the PM and team.

To persuade others, the Project Manager must blend their character with the logic and data supporting their argument, and importantly, make an emotional connection with the project stakeholders (Theodotou, 2022). The superpower to persuade sets the star Project Manager head and shoulders above the also rans. Harnessing persuasion should be on every PM’s critical list.

Best regards,

Dr. Bill

William A Moylan, PhD, PMP, FESD, DTM Professor Emeritus, Eastern Michigan University / Principal, WA Moylan & Associates

References

Bartley, (Feb. 17, 2024). The Science of Conversation, The Economist. London.

Liddell, H. and Scott, R. (1999). An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0058:entry%3Dlo/gos]

O'Brochta, M., Meloni, G., Raghupathy, S., Pfeiffer, P., & Taylor, M. (2012). The Leader's Choice: Five Steps to Ethical Decision Making. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2012—North America, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.

Theodotou, M. (Oct. 20, 2022). Leadership Blueprint: Persuade Like Aristotle [https://elearningindustry.com/leadership-blueprint-persuade-like-aristotle-cultivate-ethos-pathos-logos]