Rhetoric Tip #12: Speak with Dignity, Not Despair
Adapted from Chapter 9 of Voices of Reason: Lessons for Liberty’s Leaders – Available September 2.
Let’s face it. Many people treat public speaking like a rant with a mic. But not Magatte Wade. When she speaks about African entrepreneurship, she doesn’t ask for pity. She calls for the freedom to produce. Her message is firm, focused, and empowering:
“Businesses create jobs. Jobs pay people money. And when Africans have money, they will no longer be poor.”[i]
Simple. Honest. Sharp enough to make people put down their phones and think. That one paragraph contains logic, urgency, and dignity: the core of Wade’s rhetorical power.
Why This Matters for You
As a speaker, you do not need to blather like a talk-show host. You need to reframe. Your audience is not broken. They are not helpless. They do not need saving. They need encouragement to act.
Wade’s genius is her tone. She delivers truth with optimism. Her unspoken message is, “You’re capable. You’re needed. Now let’s fix this.”
So ask yourself:
· Are you speaking to your audience or at them?
· Are you giving them fuel or just flames?
Coaching in Action: From Woe to Whoa
After a presentation I gave in Nairobi, one student, Amanda from Brazil, said she finally “got” how to connect ethos, logos, and pathos, and she and her team went on to win a debate competition. Another attendee, Edgard from Burundi, said his students started grasping big ideas faster when he used stories instead of lectures. Who knew that treating people like adults… works?
The point? When you speak with pride in your message and respect for your listeners, they rise to meet the challenge you set for them.
Writing Prompt
1. Think of a group you care about.
2. Write a one-minute message that frames them not as broken, but as brave.
3. Shift your language from critique to contribution.
Speak with dignity. Speak with vision. When you lift your audience with your words, they’ll remember how you made them feel—and what they are capable of becoming.
If you want to tighten up your message so that it promotes dignity instead of despair, schedule a free discovery call. Let’s work together to shape a message that affirms your values and inspires action.
[i] Magatte Wade, The Heart of A Cheetah: How We Have Been Lied to about African Poverty–and What That Means for Human Flourishing (Cheetah Press, 2023), p. 30.
Do you have a video of her speaking that you could recommend? 🧐