Why I Even Tried Aristotle’s Stuff
Okay, so last week I totally botched explaining this project idea to my team. Again. Felt like I was speaking gibberish, and they all just stared. Super frustrating. That night, while scrolling online trying to find anything about how not to suck at talking, I stumbled on this old dude Aristotle and his communication model. Sounded fancy, but I figured, why not try it? Worst that could happen, right?
What the Heck is This Model?
Don’t worry, it’s actually not that complicated, once you chop it down. Forget fancy terms. Aristotle basically said every time you talk, you got three main things happening:
- The Speaker: That’s me (or you).
- The Message: The thing I’m actually trying to say.
- The Audience: The person or people listening to me.
That’s seriously the core. It’s about how these three connect. The magic (so they say) is remembering that all three matter, not just me yelling my message.
Giving It a Real Go
Next team meeting about that same project? I decided to actually try this Aristotle thing.
- Step 1: Think About THEM: Before the meeting, I actually sat down for like five minutes. Who was gonna be there? The marketing guys worried about selling it, the tech guys worried about building it, my boss worried about budget. Usually, I just blasted my thoughts. This time I tried really hard to think about what they might care about.
- Step 2: Polish MY Message: Because I thought about them, I cut out half my usual ramble. Just focused on the stuff that mattered to them. For marketing, I explained the customer problem it solved. For tech, how it could be built simply. For the boss, rough numbers.
- Step 3: Actually Deliver it (Nervously): Took a breath. Started by saying directly why I thought this thing mattered, touching on points for each group. “Look, this tackles [Marketing Problem], and we can probably do it [Tech Way], which seems manageable cost-wise [Boss Worry]. What do you all think?” Felt awkward at first!
Holy Moly, It Worked!
Honestly? I was shocked.
1. People Actually Understood Me: No blank stares! People were nodding, actually listening for once. My message actually got through because it wasn’t just about me spraying information. They didn’t seem confused.
2. Less Wasted Time: Because I focused the message around their needs, we didn’t spend half the meeting unraveling what I meant. Less arguing about the basics. Saved us a ton of time immediately.
3. They Actually Responded Helpfully: Instead of fighting me or zoning out, they started asking useful questions. Tech had ideas about implementation. Marketing suggested angles I hadn’t considered. The boss started talking resources. It felt like a real discussion, not just me talking at a wall.
4. Way Less Stressful (Eventually): Yeah, preparing felt weird and took extra thought. But actually in the meeting? So much less stressful. No more feeling like I was fighting against the room. It felt smoother, more connected.
No Magic Wand, But Way Better
Look, I’m no Aristotle expert now. It takes effort. You gotta get out of your own head and actually think about who you’re talking to and what they need to hear before you open your mouth. But trying this simple “Speaker-Message-Listener” triangle thing? It seriously made a difference. Clearer talking, less frustration, better results. Definitely keeping it in my toolbox. Feels stupidly obvious now, but man, I wish I’d tried it sooner.
