As trainers, we are often agents of change. Knowing how people
tend to feel about change, that adds some challenges to our
work. When people react negatively to us, it can range in
feeling from a difference of opinion to an outright verbal
boxing match. In boxing, the referee starts every bout with some
basic rules: no holding, pushing, tripping, biting, hitting
below the belt, etc.; if only that could be true of arguments.
Whatever your arguing style is, some tactics are fair and
constructive while others are just plain dirty. Here is a
breakdown of some unfair and usually counter-productive arguing
tactics. People often say “Our clients are saying that …”
because it supports their position. In reality they know that
three people out of a thousand recent clients have actually
expressed views that support the arguer’s position. Bringing an
unrelated issue into a discussion is a popular way to “muddy”
the waters or complicate the proceedings, which can serve an
arguer’s interests at the time. People might verb