QuickSilverD
I Think... Therefore You Are
Be sure to get the last word. People have short memories. If you do not get the last word, no one will remember what you have said. If this requires repeating your argument 50 times, so be it. This may appear repetitive, however, which will cause people to begin ignoring your messages; you may wish to alter a few words each time rather than repeating it verbatim. This will make it appear as if it were an entirely new message.
Reply to every comment. Not addressing the concerns raised by others will make it appear as if you are evading them. Thus it is important to address every comment made in a thread. If you are discussing on the mailing list, you must reply to every message. If you consolidate your responses, some people may miss that you have responded to a point addressed in another message. Therefore, you should reply to every message, even if your reply is only one sentence long and contains the same argument you have already made.
Assume that you are more intelligent and rational than your opponent. This is usually a safe assumption. After all, if they were as intelligent as you were, they would agree with you! From here you may argue from the position of intellectual and moral superiority. Stating that if other memebers would just consider the problem for as long as you have, they would come around to your point of view, is an effective response.
If you are alone, you must be right. All great geniuses were at first standing alone with their visions while the rabble persisted in their misguided way of thinking. Therefore, if you are the sole holder of an unpopular position you know will solve the problems, you are thinking ahead of the crowd. If you are alone, do not back down; opposition only proves how much your input is needed to correct bias.
Do not water down your language. Using words like "I think" and "in my opinion" water down the effect of your argument. You must state, unequivocally, that your position is the only reasonable one. If it is true that it would be idiotic to disagree, intellectual honesty requires that you say so. Calling the intelligence of your opponents into question will shock them out of their misguided thinking and make them question their assumptions, so they will eventually come around to your position.
Have your adversary agree with you
No matter the subject, no matter how trivial the statement, it's really important that you make your opponent say the word yes as soon as possible. The objective is to have that person stop regarding you as the enemy. You must have them jump into your court.
By agreeing with you, even if it's on something as inconsequential as the fact that cars are overpriced, you introduce them to the idea that you two might be like-minded after all. It's a tried technique, psychologically subtle, often used by telemarketers. If it's good enough for them to make a living, shouldn't it be good enough for you?
It's not your idea
The single best way to win an argument is to manipulate the conversation in a way that your adversary will feel that whatever you wanted them to agree to was their idea all along. This can only work if you're comfortable with being modest, as you won't be credited with the initiative once it gets out. But the job will get done and that should be the most important element.
To achieve this, you must nudge the conversation to an inevitable outcome. Then, you let the other person come up with it and they'll be all for it, thinking it's their own suggestion. For example, if you wanted someone to clean the company kitchen, you could tell an employee that the regional director was coming for lunch and that he's very particular about tidiness -- that he's even known to promote employees for it.
Play it up
Dramatize your arguments. Throw in facts and figures. Bring in concrete examples to illustrate your point. If you can scientifically prove your idea is the best, no one will be able to contest it and all hostilities will cease. Introduce visual documents if you can, they are usually indisputable.
You guys may add others if you want
Reply to every comment. Not addressing the concerns raised by others will make it appear as if you are evading them. Thus it is important to address every comment made in a thread. If you are discussing on the mailing list, you must reply to every message. If you consolidate your responses, some people may miss that you have responded to a point addressed in another message. Therefore, you should reply to every message, even if your reply is only one sentence long and contains the same argument you have already made.
Assume that you are more intelligent and rational than your opponent. This is usually a safe assumption. After all, if they were as intelligent as you were, they would agree with you! From here you may argue from the position of intellectual and moral superiority. Stating that if other memebers would just consider the problem for as long as you have, they would come around to your point of view, is an effective response.
If you are alone, you must be right. All great geniuses were at first standing alone with their visions while the rabble persisted in their misguided way of thinking. Therefore, if you are the sole holder of an unpopular position you know will solve the problems, you are thinking ahead of the crowd. If you are alone, do not back down; opposition only proves how much your input is needed to correct bias.
Do not water down your language. Using words like "I think" and "in my opinion" water down the effect of your argument. You must state, unequivocally, that your position is the only reasonable one. If it is true that it would be idiotic to disagree, intellectual honesty requires that you say so. Calling the intelligence of your opponents into question will shock them out of their misguided thinking and make them question their assumptions, so they will eventually come around to your position.
Have your adversary agree with you
No matter the subject, no matter how trivial the statement, it's really important that you make your opponent say the word yes as soon as possible. The objective is to have that person stop regarding you as the enemy. You must have them jump into your court.
By agreeing with you, even if it's on something as inconsequential as the fact that cars are overpriced, you introduce them to the idea that you two might be like-minded after all. It's a tried technique, psychologically subtle, often used by telemarketers. If it's good enough for them to make a living, shouldn't it be good enough for you?
It's not your idea
The single best way to win an argument is to manipulate the conversation in a way that your adversary will feel that whatever you wanted them to agree to was their idea all along. This can only work if you're comfortable with being modest, as you won't be credited with the initiative once it gets out. But the job will get done and that should be the most important element.
To achieve this, you must nudge the conversation to an inevitable outcome. Then, you let the other person come up with it and they'll be all for it, thinking it's their own suggestion. For example, if you wanted someone to clean the company kitchen, you could tell an employee that the regional director was coming for lunch and that he's very particular about tidiness -- that he's even known to promote employees for it.
Play it up
Dramatize your arguments. Throw in facts and figures. Bring in concrete examples to illustrate your point. If you can scientifically prove your idea is the best, no one will be able to contest it and all hostilities will cease. Introduce visual documents if you can, they are usually indisputable.
You guys may add others if you want
