How to Make Your Point Without Being a Prick

At least once in your life you will be, or may already have been faced with the dilemma of making your point to someone who’s incredibly dense or stubborn. It’s hard to deal with these types of people sometimes. It feels like they know every button to press, string to pull, and nerve to tap dance on. It takes a true master of understanding and patience to break down an important point to someone who either can’t understand or doesn’t care to.

Please don’t take that to mean that I am a master at this in the slightest. I’d probably get struck down by lighting even trying to make that claim. No, I’m not yet a pro at this but I have managed to pick up a few tips and tricks for handling this.

Know what you’re trying to say

Nothing confuses anyone more than you not knowing how to convey your own point. If you’ve had multiple encounters with someone and they’re just not getting it, take some time to write down your words before your next call. Make an outline if you need to. I make an outline for literally every call I take. I tend to babble if I don’t have my own script written. If that’s you, an outline or some type of fact sheet might be ideal. If you’re clear on your own point, it’ll come across much better.

Be confident in what you’re saying

This goes hand in hand with knowing what you’re saying in the first place. If you take my advice on that outline (which you totally should), it should make you a little more confident that maybe, just maybe this time they’ll understand what you’re trying to explain.

Be understanding

When you’re thinking up your explanation, consider what the other person may not be grasping specifically? Put yourself in their shoes and think of the questions you would ask, be it mentally or aloud. “Why is this important to know? How does this affect me? Why should I care?” Try answering those questions while making your point.

Be patient

This is by all means easier said than done. Patience is a virtue that not everyone has. Unfortunately it’s pertinent to just about every difficult situation you run into in life, whether personal or business-related. But I assure you, losing your cool in a situation like this, or any situation really, is arguably the worst thing you could do. Being as patient and thorough as possible in your explanations is your best hope for getting your point across to anyone.

I’m sure these points seem like common sense but sometimes people need things in writing before you get your point across. 😉

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