Changing someone's position.
WHAT PERSUASION REQUIRES
Understanding their position first.
WHY
Arguments against a position they do not hold fail.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
What they currently believe Why What would change it
WHAT TO ADDRESS
Their actual objection, not the one you prefer.
WHAT TO LEAD WITH
Something they already accept.
WHY
Agreement early makes disagreement later easier to consider.
WHAT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
The strongest point against you.
WHY
It demonstrates you have understood, and it removes their strongest move.
WHAT TO AVOID
Overstating your case Dismissing their reasoning Winning on a technicality
WHY
People resist being defeated more than they resist being wrong.
WHAT EVIDENCE PERSUADES
Specific Verifiable Relevant to their concern
WHAT DOES NOT
Volume of argument Confident assertion Appeals to what others do
WHAT TO OFFER
A way to agree without loss of face.
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE
Framing the change as new information rather than error.
WHAT TO END WITH
The smallest next step.
WHY SMALL
Agreement to a trial is easier than agreement to a commitment.
WHAT TO ACCEPT
That some positions do not move.
