The Career Question: How do I manage to be rhetorically convincing?

Rhetorical sovereignty is a critical success factor for executives. According to the FAZ, a confident appearance can be learned through specific techniques and the control of stage fright. In this context, the occasional use of filler words often appears more authentic than perfectionism. Expertise requires assertiveness.

The Career Question: How do I manage to be rhetorically persuasive?

The ability to appear confident before groups and to articulate arguments precisely is one of the critical success factors for executives in the modern working world. According to current analyses, which were also picked up by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung at the end of October 2026, this competence can be learned systematically, with a focus on controlling stage fright and an authentic way of speaking. For specialists and managers, rhetorical sovereignty is often the decisive interface between technical expertise and actual assertiveness within the company. Especially in situations where resistance or complex decisions must be moderated, the manner of presentation determines the acceptance of the content presented.

A central element of rhetorical professionalization is dealing with one's own nervousness. Experts interpret stage fright not as a weakness, but as a physiological activation that can be converted into positive energy through targeted techniques. In practice, it becomes clear that perfectionism is often counterproductive. Contrary to popular belief, occasional filler words such as "um" do not necessarily diminish the perception of competence. On the contrary, they can emphasize the speaker's naturalness and signal to the audience that the presenter is thinking live and not merely reciting a memorized script. Concentrating on the core message and conscious breathing form the foundation for a stable performance.

Strategies for a Sovereign Appearance

In the context of academic further education such as the Master of Business Administration (MBA), the training of rhetorical skills is becoming increasingly important. While in the past the focus was primarily on business administration hard skills, renowned business schools today increasingly integrate modules on Leadership Communication and Public Speaking into their curricula. This takes into account the fact that graduates in senior management positions regularly have to present complex issues to heterogeneous target groups. The MBA serves as a protected space in which students can analyze and optimize their impact on others through video feedback and peer reviews before applying these skills in high-level board meetings.

The Importance of Rhetoric as a Career Driver