The most common mistake inexperienced founders make when trying to convince investors is relying too heavily on their pitch. Instead, they should let their startup do the talking. Investors are looking for startups that have the potential to be hugely successful. This doesn't mean they're looking for a guaranteed success, but rather a startup that presents a good bet.
In relationships, communication goes beyond the mere exchange of words. It encompasses the way words are said, the tone, the order, and even the choice of specific words. This multidimensional aspect of communication is explored by Deirdre Wilson and Dan Sperber in their book "Meaning and Relevance."
Writing about something, even if you know it well, often reveals gaps in your understanding. Putting ideas into words is a severe test. The initial words chosen are usually wrong, requiring multiple rewrites. Your ideas will not only be imprecise but incomplete. Half of the ideas in an essay emerge during the writing process. Once published, it seems those were your original thoughts, but the act of writing changes them.
In our understanding of eminent scientists and their journeys, we often overlook the risks they embraced, primarily because their biographies tend to omit their errors. The conventional wisdom today is largely shaped by their successful endeavors, making their choices appear risk-free.
Why write an essay when you can type a few words and have AI generate one for you? Why write an email when AI can auto-respond for you with all the typical pleasantries and talking points? While AI doing these things for you is likely to happen, it’s not necessarily a good thing. Even when these tools exist, they are not a replacement for writing. Writing is the process by which you realize that you do not understand what you are talking about. Importantly, writing is also the process by which you figure it out. Writing about something teaches you about what you know, what you don’t know, and how to think. Writing about something is one of the best ways to learn about it. Writing is not just a vehicle to share ideas with others but also a way to understand them better yourself.
Rhetoric, or the art of persuasion, remains highly relevant today. In our age of information sharing, rhetoric surrounds us daily. Sam Leith’s book, "Words Like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric from Aristotle to Obama", serves as a valuable tool to navigate these waters. Leith unpacks rhetorical concepts and provides the knowledge needed to become a powerful speaker. The book features sections like ‘Champions of Rhetoric,’ where he analyzes the work of famous orators. The chapter comparing Adolf Hitler to Winston Churchill is particularly intriguing.
October 2015