ARGUMENTS WINNING TOOLS

 

1. Know your facts. How many times have you made a claim about some piece of trivia only to realize, as soon as you’ve made that claim, that you’re completely wrong? Inevitably, someone challenges you, but because you don’t want to lose, you continue to stick to your guns. This is not an ideal way to win (or enter) an argument.

2. Be ready to see the other person’s perspective. You don’t have to agree with a foe in order to see his or her perspective. However, if you want to win an argument, you do need to be able to see the world the way your opponent does. Stepping into the mindset of those you argue which allows you to figure out what’s influencing them. Perhaps they’re feeling threatened, anxious, or annoyed. Perhaps they know something that you don’t. In any case, showing empathy will lower the temperature of the debate and allow both of you to come to a resolution.

3. If you can’t be open-minded, at least seem that way. Becoming defensive is one of the worst ways to win an argument. Don’t let your opponent sense that you’re doffing into your position without being willing to consider alternatives. If you appear to be giving the other side’s position a thoughtful review, then the solution you propose will seem to be far more sensible. Furthermore, your opponent may come to your side without your having to do anything other than listening. By letting your opponent speak, you may allow the situation to naturally resolve itself.

  4. Keep your emotions under control. Emotions play an important role in the conflict by altering how you appraise the situation. In addition, being able to regulate your emotions is equally important. If you lose your temper, you’ll only antagonize your opponent, that will further heighten his or her wrath, and the process can only escalate upwards. Don’t worry you’ll seem weak by becoming calm in the midst of the argument – you’ll gain points by showing that you can exercise self-control. Who knows, the argument may even end right then and there, once both of you take a more reasoned perspective.

 

5. Remain hopeful that the argument can be resolved. Arguments, by definition, involve negative emotions. In the midst of a screaming fest, it might be hard to see yourself coming out on the other side with your dignity intact. However invoking the feeling of hope allows you to think more clearly, leading to the possibility that you’ll win by sheer force of logic. Hope allows you to come up with creative solutions to the disputes at the core of the conflict