Make a More Convincing Argument Using Hypotheses
There is nothing wrong with healthy debate, but disagreement can easily turn into an ugly argument. To prevent this from happening when you argue with someone, and so that he is on your side, use hypotheses.
Let’s say you disagree with someone at work. As silly as you think their solution to a problem is, you probably won’t be lucky to win an argument if you just disprove their idea and tell them why yours is better. Instead of forcing them to defend themselves, psychologist and business strategist Liane Davey suggests getting them to use their imaginations, and you can do this by using hypothetical situations in your arguments. Harvard Business Review reports:
Use hypotheses. Rebuttal is not very good, so don’t try to rebut each of your opponent’s arguments. Instead, Davey says, use hypothetical situations to make him imagine. “Imagination is the opposite of defense, so it takes the brain out of routine,” she says. She offers an example: “I hear your concerns about getting the right vendors to run this campaign. If we could find the right people. … … what would the campaign look like? “
This not only prevents them from going into defense mode and turning the debate into an awkward argument, but also more effectively convinces them that they are right. When defenses are weakened, we are more open to ideas. Check out what else HBR has to say about it at the link below.
How to Be Sure to Be Heard in a Difficult Conversation | HBR