BUILD A LOGICAL CASE

There are many speeches, pitches and presentations that people make every day at work.  When it comes to building a logical case for court or to present to the board or a client they become stuck.

There are certain do’s and don’ts when you need to state a logical case. Follow these guidelines and be more convincing.

DO

• Base arguments on truths, specifics and evidence. State this at the beginning of your presentation.

• Define your terms into stepping stones as you work towards proving your point.  There must be a logical flow.

• Focus on proving a single point at a time. Rigorously afford side issues. Use short, sharp sentences to avoid being miss quoted.

• Check the accuracy of all your facts. Hearsay will not carry much weight.  Use laws, by-laws, defining terms, legal points, terms and conditions and anything else necessary to state the facts.

• Double check any technical terms for double meanings.

• Statistics can prove history, projected outcome or a context.

• Have proof ie photos, recordings, documents and anything that will support your argument.

• For each point have a clear, concise and solid reason.  If you do not have a reason, you have an opinion.

• Deliver with a firm tone, positive body language and be strong with a sense of conviction.

• Let the audience think with rhetorical questions.  “Are females not doing the same job?”  “Should they then need to get paid less?”  This creates dramatic dialogue and clarifies opposing issues.

• Clearly state the outcome you seek.  I want ….  We are looking for a resolution by …  The amount we need …

• Always be courteous and positive.

DONT’S

• Do not get emotional. When building a logical case, emotion is not the strongest appeal.

• When you make it complicated and too technical, you can dilute your argument.

• Try not to make it personal with long stories and explanations.  Get to the punch line.

• Avoid statements that will alienate all other listeners.

• Steer clear of humour anecdote and non-descriptive language for dramatic surprises.

• Do not share your opinions if you do not have a strong reason

Feel free to share your points on how you build a logical case.