It’s easy to win the argument, yet come out losing.
- We can win the argument and lose a friend.
- We can win the argument and totally fail to change the other person’s viewpoint. As they say: A man convinced against his will, is of that same opinion still.
- We can win the argument and in the process, make ourselves look like a jerk and lose the respect of everyone involved.
A healthy alternative
In my experience, when it comes to business, a healthy debate is a far better alternative to attacking another person’s viewpoint or arguing with them.
A healthy debate is exactly that – healthy. It’s about having a healthy respect for the right of the other person, to hold a different viewpoint from ours. It comes from understanding that with so many things, there is more than one truth and often countless opinions too. Lastly and perhaps most importantly, a healthy debate comes from separating the person from their viewpoint.
As soon as we attack the person, we have already lost.