Speech

Chapter 18: Supporting Your Views

Overview

Since you will not always agree with everyone in your life, it is important to learn techniques of negotiation and debate. Negotiation is a cooperative relationship in which both sides want to reach an agreement. When negotiating, you should always be positive, use three-part messages, be prepared, and tell the truth. Five common strategies of negotiation are avoidance, accommodation, competition, compromise, and collaboration.

Debate is an important method of solving problems in a democracy. Debate conducted without specific rules is informal debate. Some different types of informal debate include personal debate (a silent debate in your head), disagreements and arguments (arguing with a sibling), group discussion (making group decisions), and in organizations and meetings (debating ideas for a fund-raiser). By participating in various debates, you improve your analytical skills and become more effective in your career, in helping others, as a voter, and as a citizen.

In order to debate successfully, you must present your issue in its proper form. You must state a proposition that clearly explains the point to be debated. When preparing and arguing your case, you must work hard, anticipate your opponent's arguments, build a sound case, listen closely to your opponent, take notes, and speak clearly and logically.