Principle III: Persuasive rhetoric deals with problems and solutions.

Think of a communication — whether a formal meeting, a one-on-one discussion about some issue the business faces, a speech, or a chance get-together in the hall — as a twofold exercise. The first step is to get agreement about a need, a problem, or an issue that you have in common. The second step is to explore solutions together. It’s that simple: problem first, then solution.

Thinking in these terms will help you structure your informal comments in conversations, meetings, and off-the-cuff remarks. You’ll get a reputation as a clear thinker and a persuasive communicator if you follow this simple rule.

But too often people get impatient. They see the answer they want to achieve or support, and they jump to that point without taking their listener along with them. The result is resistance when they could have had agreement leading to action.

Here’s the important point: you can’t expect the other half of a communication to go along with you unless you take them on the same journey that you have taken (leading to a decision, a feeling, a point of view, an action). That means starting with the relevant inputs — the problem — and then finding a solution.

That doesn’t necessarily mean taking them on the same historical journey that you went on. That’s not always appropriate, and it’s usually not interesting. Keep in mind that you must have the other communicators’ perspectives in mind. What’s important, interesting, and relevant to them in the journey that you want to take them on? Once you understand that perspective, you’re ready to communicate.