Purpose Points the Way

By Dr. Ralph C. Smedley (1878 - 1965)

Purpose is the controlling factor in life.

Purpose determines the goal, marks the path, and furnishes the motive power.

Purpose – some purpose – underlies character, culture, position, progress, every kind of achievement.

Purpose makes the speech.

There are four general classifications of purpose which govern the speaker. Once the general purpose of a speech has been settled upon, the type of presentation to be made should be immediately clear.

The four categories may be stated thus:

1. To inform or instruct.
2. To stimulate or inspire.
3. To persuade or convince.
4. To entertain or amuse.

The teacher, trying to unfold the mysteries of science or mathematics or history to a group of students, is seeking to bring about a reaction quite different from that sought by a legislator who advocates the adoption of some measure, or the political speaker who tries to win votes for his candidate.

The preacher, seeking to lead his hearers to a better life and to win them to the Christian way of thinking, has a purpose very much unlike that of the after-dinner speaker who is trying to amuse an audience, or the entertainer who is expected to be funny.

It is easy to see that the general purpose of the speech makes a vast difference in the construction and presentation of the material. When the speaker starts to prepare his speech, one of his first problems – perhaps the very first one – is to analyze the occasion, the audience, and the purpose so as to decide whether he must seek to inform or inspire, to persuade, entertain, or stir to action. Not until this point is settled can he build his speech to produce the desired effect.

The second step as to purpose is to determine the specific purpose to be achieved.

The political speaker knows exactly what he wants to accomplish. He is after votes, and his whole effort will be concentrated on that end.

The salesman wants to get the order – make the sale – get the name on the dotted line. His specific purpose is clear.

Whatever the definite purpose, the speaker must know it, and and he must build his speech so as to make the audience understand what he is after.

No speaker has a right to waste the time of an audience if he does not know just what he is trying to accomplish. If his aim is not clear to him, you may depend on it that he will leave his hearer equally in the dark.

A clergyman who belongs to a Toastmaster Club had his mind directed to the importance of making the purpose clear one Sunday morning when he talked with one of his members, also a Toastmaster, at the close of the service.

"How was the sermon, speaking as a Toastmasters evaluator?" he inquired.

"It was a fine speech," his fellow Toastmaster replied. "It was well constructed and well delivered. Your language was excellent. There were no distressing grunts nor hesitations. Your gestures were just about right. But, Parson, what did you want us to do about it? You never told us that."

Undoubtedly the purpose was somewhere in the preacher’s mind, but he did not get it over to his audience. The people approved of what he said and enjoyed listening to him, but he did not land the order because he did not tell them what to do. Multitudes of speakers, preachers, and others have the same fault in their speeches.

When you prepare a speech, purpose is the first thing to consider. It will guide you in choosing material and arranging it. It will dictate the opening and the closing of your speech. It will be your control throughout the preparation and the delivery.

Get the purpose fixed in your own mid with great clarity. Then make it equally clear to your audience and let them know just what you want them to do. If they then fail to act as you have urged, at least it will not be your fault.

"The secret of success is constancy to purpose," said [English Prime Minister and author Benjamin] Disraeli (1804-1881), and his words apply to your speech as well as to your entire career.

The Toastmaster, October 1950

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