Thread by @urbanjodi

.@CyrilRamaphosa has clearly studied persuasive speeches.
1. humility leads: start with a concession (Admit a limitation, flaw or make a joke at self expense)
#SONA2019

speak to at least 3 core values from: fairness, freedom from oppression/, care for the vulnerable, loyalty to place/nation, reverence for some tradition / deep authority, common history, shared future or protection from degradation

3. empathize: show you the audience (the poor, but also the active and helpful South African, different sectors of society)

4. use a convincing statistics and facts that show both need and action

5. Create anticipation: “you watch this space”

6. Match data + morals appealed to earlier to the action described: Cyril is focusing on justice on corruption, as well as justice on inequality, violence etc

7. Acknowledge other actors: repeated mention of civil society, individual actors, and other stakeholders

8. Create a shared challenge: no denial here that there is work to be done

9. Call to action, 3-5 points maximum: Cyril is going with five, emphasising collective responsibility and each of the 5 relates back to the morals he opened by appealing to

10. Demonstrate capability / track record / followship-worthiness: the standard list of achievements (I think more can be done to humanize and de-government language this part of the speech...but maybe it’s directed at the investor class not the voter)

11. Tell a story: brilliant, after indulging some government investment speak, he appeals back to Thuma Mina, tells a story of a meeting that acknowledges other role players, and shows his centrality in securing compacts/deals. #sona2019

12. Only introduce trade offs once you’ve shown respect for different actors and interests: he’s done this, now he shares news of competition bill; and links it back to the morals and challenges that are the themes of the speech from the start.

Continues with this: @CyrilRamaphosa handling a tricky topic of globalism and international trade and investment relations by explaining the benefits of each step, and how each benefit links to the key values and challenges of his speech.

13. Outline a plan: Cyril laying out priorities, and being clear who it’s for: unemployed youth. (Mincing his words a bit on the under developed developed agricultural bit tho...)

14. A traditional persuasion tactic would be to throw in an unexpected or counter-intuitive source of info or inspiration: Im not sure I like the lucky oil wild card for this one though... what was in this part of the speech before yesterday?

Again... punctuates a long technical component with human stories of children who lost their lives. Balancing technical and emotive. Routinely acknowledging role of other sectors, collaboration and partnerships.

Lots of concrete plans: targets, timelines, approach and partners. He will surely be losing some but this is important substance for SONA. People who’ve tuned out will have done so feeling hopeful and called on, I think. Those who listen to the end may be in for a final treat

After a lot of concrete plans, Cyril announces election date and then returns to a call to core values: resilience, optimism, healing, non-racialism...

15: reciprocity: he’s made a lot of commitments from housing to health, and now he can return to a common task

16: that’s it folks, he uses language of a common task, a common good, a collective future - then appeals to individual characters of the person who joins the call, while acknowledging difference

If you enjoyed this how-to on persuasion, I recommend Gary Orrens work. #sona2019