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Inevitably, you will find yourself in situations in which you have to convince someone else that you are correct about a particular topic. It is going to happen. You may be a salesperson who must assure a customer that what you are selling is wonderful. You may be in a more formal debate situation such as on a team at a competition. If you have chosen a life of politics, you will likely find yourself attempting to show potential voters that you are more qualified for a position than your opponent. Regardless of the situation that has brought about the discussion, there are effective debating techniques that will help your cause.
The first, and possibly the most important technique, is to make eye contact. This is a requisite habit if you wish to make the right impression. It may not apply completely in a team debate situation because many notes must be pored over in a limited amount of time; however, when speaking to someone one-on-one and in other daily situations, holding the other's eye is a necessity. If you look to the ground or by your debate partner, your confidence will suffer. The confidence others have in you will wilt as well. Maintaining eye contact will also cause your opponent to wonder whether they have what it takes to compete. If you do not avert your gaze, you display an air of authority and it shows that you have a firm grasp on the topic.
It is easy to get a little worked up in a debate, but you will want to resist the urge to flail your hands and head around. It is distracting not only to you when your limbs are moving about, but it is distracting to the others observing the debate; those you are trying to turn in your favor about an issue or judges at a competition. Unnecessary movement of the body can also suggest that you are overcompensating and trying to hide something, possibly the lack of knowledge regarding your topic. By keeping motion to a minimum, it keeps you calmer and more able to focus on the debate at hand.
Just as important as stating your support is the habit of listening. Only by paying close attention to your opponent can you effectively negate what they offer. It does no good to play over in your mind what you want to verbalize if it has nothing to do with what was just said. Irrelevant rebuttals serve only to suggest that you do not care or are poorly prepared.
When debating, slow down and breathe in some air. Tranquility is the key to assembling your ideas, paying heed to your opponent's statements, and provides you with the confidence you need to be successful in a debate. By adopting effective debating techniques, you stand a much better chance of bringing others to your way of thinking.
The first, and possibly the most important technique, is to make eye contact. This is a requisite habit if you wish to make the right impression. It may not apply completely in a team debate situation because many notes must be pored over in a limited amount of time; however, when speaking to someone one-on-one and in other daily situations, holding the other's eye is a necessity. If you look to the ground or by your debate partner, your confidence will suffer. The confidence others have in you will wilt as well. Maintaining eye contact will also cause your opponent to wonder whether they have what it takes to compete. If you do not avert your gaze, you display an air of authority and it shows that you have a firm grasp on the topic.
It is easy to get a little worked up in a debate, but you will want to resist the urge to flail your hands and head around. It is distracting not only to you when your limbs are moving about, but it is distracting to the others observing the debate; those you are trying to turn in your favor about an issue or judges at a competition. Unnecessary movement of the body can also suggest that you are overcompensating and trying to hide something, possibly the lack of knowledge regarding your topic. By keeping motion to a minimum, it keeps you calmer and more able to focus on the debate at hand.
Just as important as stating your support is the habit of listening. Only by paying close attention to your opponent can you effectively negate what they offer. It does no good to play over in your mind what you want to verbalize if it has nothing to do with what was just said. Irrelevant rebuttals serve only to suggest that you do not care or are poorly prepared.
When debating, slow down and breathe in some air. Tranquility is the key to assembling your ideas, paying heed to your opponent's statements, and provides you with the confidence you need to be successful in a debate. By adopting effective debating techniques, you stand a much better chance of bringing others to your way of thinking.
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