118. Mette Højen: Business Rhetoric

Mette Højen is a Business Rhetorician and keynote speaker based in Copenhagen, Denmark. She is author of “Business Rhetoric. How to turn your words into gold.” She trains top leaders and entire business groups in composing and delivering melodious presentations and meetings that are engaging, win customers, create growth –and bigger black figures on the bottom line.

Business Rhetoric

Business rhetoric is the art of speaking and behaving convincingly in your daily business life. Classical rhetoric was not suited for business. The concept came from Mette’s daily work, working with business people and recognizing their needs and situations.

Training zone vs Performance zone

In business we perform a lot but we don’t set much time aside for practice. Very few business people do. In contrast, musicians and athletes spend many hours in the “training zone.”

Mette suggests us to pick one thing at a time to practice, a little achievable goal.

At some point you need a coach to point you in the right direction. Later you can use exercises that you practice yourself. The power circle is a good exercise created by Mette that helps you get to the point.

Rhetorical strategy

Inspired by Cicero. Mette believes that the main problem in business communication is that we inform people too much.

We have to activate people so they will feel more motivated. When they are motivated they will understand more. You must decide in advance the percentage of time that will go to Inform, Motivate, and Activate.

Time is also very important. When do we need to speak about the past, when do we need to speak about the present and when do we need to speak about the future?  People often talk too much about the past.

The 3 channels of communication

We must gain control of the 3 channels of communication (verbal, para-verbal, non-verbal). Beyond what you say, it’s also important how your voice sounds and what the body language says. How your voice sounds and how you look needs to match the content of your speech or conversation.

The Speaker Spots

People are often wandering as mad lions in a cage. Instead, match your speech outline with spots in the stage, in the following sequence:

* Spot 1. You start in the middle of the stage

* Spot 2. You are in one of the two sides (e.g. left)

* Spot 3. You are in the other side (e.g. right)

* Spot 4. You are just behind the Spot 1

* Back to Spot 1 to tell the action part of your speech