Dear ULG Team,
Tuesday’s session with Dr. Elena Paweta was one of those moments that made me pause and truly rethink how I approach communication. I have always known communication is important, but this session helped me see it as both an art and a skill that requires constant practice and awareness.
Dr. Paweta’s reminder to always start with three questions:What am I saying? How am I saying it? Who am I saying it to ? really struck me. It is such a simple framework, but when I think about my own experiences, I realize how often I focus only on what I want to say and forget about the how and the who. This reflection reminded me that clarity and impact come from tailoring the message to the people I am speaking to and the way I deliver it.
We also revisited ethos, pathos, and logos: credibility, emotion, and logic. I have come across these terms before, but this time, the session pushed me to connect them to my own journey. Ethos made me ask, How do I demonstrate that I am credible and trustworthy in my advocacy? Pathos made me reflect, Am I communicating in ways that truly touch hearts and inspire people? And logos reminded me that passion alone is not enough. I need to back it up with facts, reasoning, and structure.
The session made me realize that effective communication is about creating balance. Too much logic without emotion can feel cold. Too much emotion without credibility can feel unconvincing. But when ethos, pathos, and logos come together, the message not only informs but transforms.
I walked away from the session inspired to practice these lessons more consciously. For me, communication is about building bridges, shaping understanding, and inviting others into a vision. Going forward, I want to be more mindful of how I combine clarity, presence, and balance in my own speaking and writing.
Because at the end of the day, communication is about leaving an impression that can move people toward action.
Warm Regards,
Haadiyah Suhuyini Issifu
Ghana.