Persuasion Skills

Persuasion Skills

In more barbaric times, humanity relied on force to solve its disputes. Nowadays, we disdain the use of violence as a means of problem solving. However, conflicts still exist, and we therefore still require a means of resolving them. And so, instead of fighting physically, we now use our words to settle disagreements. Debates and arguments are essential components of all human interaction, and that is why it is so important that you work to develop your persuasion skills. With sophisticated, effective persuasion skills, you will not only find yourself winning more and more arguments and achieving a greater degree of overall success, but you’ll also feel less frustrated and more self-satisfied.

To that end, this article will provide some tips and tricks to help you to improve your persuasive skills. By following the advice presented here, you will learn what constitutes a strong, successful argument and how to achieve it.

First and foremost, you want to rely principally on logic, not emotion, and you certainly do not want to become unduly emotional in the course of your argument. This is not to say that emotion should not play any sort of role; but it should be subordinate to rationality. While it is true that people oftentimes overlook reason in the name of emotion, far more frequently logic will win out in an argument. By thinking and speaking rationally and objectively, your audience will be able to easily follow, and therefore be swayed by, your arguments.

The next key component to successful persuasion is knowing your audience. Whether you are having a one-on-one argument or a formal debate in front of a panel of judges, the effectiveness of your persuasive efforts will largely be determined by how well you tailor your arguments for those you are trying to convince. Everyone has different values, and by framing your argument to appeal to those particular values, you will greatly increase its persuasiveness in the mind(s) of your audience.

Another crucial element to successful persuasion is establishing credibility. No matter how well-reasoned your argument may be, few will be persuaded if they perceive you as lacking the authority to discuss the matter at hand. Consider, for example, that you go to see a doctor to discuss an ongoing cough. If the doctor you see is wearing mismatched shoes and a stained shirt and has an office that’s utterly disheveled, then it is unlikely that you are going to put much faith in the advice he gives you, even if it’s the exact same advice that a more professional-looking doctor would give. That is because you perceive this doctor as lacking credibility. This same principal applies to an argument. You need to demonstrate that you are trustworthy concerning the topic at hand in order for your words to have weight. How do you accomplish this? By speaking with confidence, by referring to verifiable evidence, and by being generally well-informed.

One more necessity to persuading an audience is to listen closely and carefully to your opponent’s argument. This is easier said than done, as our instinct is oftentimes to ignore our opponent—after all, we already know that we disagree with him, and we know that what he’s saying is probably damaging to our side of the debate. However, only by truly engaging with your opponent’s points can you effectively counter them, and only by countering your opponent can you hope to persuade your audience.

This leads to the final trick to successful persuasion: respect. Not only is it simply polite and appropriate to demonstrate respect for your opponent, but it is also crucial for persuading others. If you are perceived as being disrespectful, your audience will have a negative reaction towards you, and therefore will be inclined to dismiss your arguments. And this is especially true if your audience is also your opponent—he will simply become more and more defensive and unreasonable, even if the actual points you are marking are valid and reasonable.

By following these guidelines, you will improve your persuasion skills, your arguments will become stronger, and you overall enjoy a much greater level of success.