10 Surefire Ways to Lose an Argument ...

One of the easiest ways to lose an argument is simply to roll your eyes. Body language is very important in the art of debating and arguing; rolling your eyes will show that you are simply being arrogant and dismissive, rather than taking on board what the other person is saying. The only exception is if rolling your eyes is part of your argument, to provoke a response from the other person.

If you interrupt, you clearly haven’t been listening and are not willing to listen to someone. You can only win an argument by being willing to accept the ideas of the other person, so that they will listen to you – interrupt, and you are likely to have deal with unresolved issues.

If you ambush someone in an argument, you are only showing that you cannot defend your position without requiring others to aid you. It is a sure sign that you are losing an argument if you need some backup!

Swearing is the lowest form of argument, showing that you simply cannot use language to convey your emotions properly. There is a reason that teenagers choose to swear at others; because they think that curse words are somehow an effective use of language. Learn ways to argue effectively and to avoid sounding like a whiny teenager, be more eloquent and show that you are educated beyond that of a 15 year old. Cursing will lead to the argument becoming more intense, and probably result in a simple cursing match rather than any actual debate.

One of the surefire ways to lose an argument is to laugh at the other person. It will belittle them, and you will probably just provoke more passion from them. Take them seriously, and they may respect your viewpoint; laugh, and they will probably be just as dismissive as you were.

Believe it or not, but shouting does not make an argument any more valid. In fact, shouting at an opponent will make you seem desperate and probably stop them from listening to the substance of what you have to say. A calm argument will get you a lot further than yelling, so keep the tone civil.

Physical intimidation is hardly of one the best ways to resolve conflict. As one may recall from the Bush-Gore Presidential Debate, physical intimidation will not work, but rather make you seem like a bully rather than an eloquent speaker.

One thing which symbolizes that you are out of ideas for an argument is if you bring up irrelevant information or facts/statistics. It doesn’t make you look clever or effective, it makes you look desperate, and as if you have no idea what to actually say. Keep your argument on topic, and point out if the other person mentions something irrelevant.

Walking out of an argument, or even ending a phone call if the argument is via phone, is the lowest end to an argument. If you want to seem like more than a petulant child, make sure that you end the argument or debate with your strongest point and then agree that you will leave the argument there. Simply leaving without an explanation or coming to a resolution will make you look weak and pathetic.

While emotion can be a godsend in an argument, it can also be your downfall. One of the most common ways to lose an argument is to become overly emotional, to the point where you get caught up in what you are saying and defeat yourself. Try to remember that arguments are not the end of the world, and if you have to concede that you were wrong, then that is absolutely fine. There is more honor in bowing out gracefully than clutching at straws.

Conflict can arise over the most trivial things, but there are ways to deal with arguments effectively and quickly if you adopt the right behaviors. What’s your downfall when you argue?