How To Disagree Productively and Find Common Ground

1. The foundation of debate is speaking. Students deliver speeches based on logic and research, attempting to persuade a judge to endorse their argument. The aim of a debate is to convince the opposition that you are right. 

2. It is important that both the debate team finds a common ground to show that they are both willing to hear the other side and not just being one sided and closing your ideas or knowledge into what just you believe in. The goal of finding common ground puts everyone on the same team and helps to push back against the instinct to prove how “right” you are and how “wrong” the other side is. But the problem with this is it might put an end to the debate if one opponent is convinced with the idea of the opponent. 

3. Shared reality is the experience of having in common with others inner states about the world. Inner states include the perceived relevance of something, as well as feelings, beliefs, or evaluations of something. For example, you have a new coworker at your office and your first impression to her is she’s a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to work. You tell your colleagues about this and it happen that they agree with your opinion. So telling them or initiating your opinion persuades them or gives them an idea about what others think of this new colleagues thus clarifying that your idea and theirs coincide.

4. Separating ideas from identity is necessary to have a successful debate to avoid someone attacking the opponent personally and out of topic. There are instances that the debate will be too serious and some people attacks the opponent regarding with their personal life and it will not reach the goal of the debate because it’s goal is to prove something and not about the personal life of the opponent. It is important to be professional in debate even if you feel like you are about to lose. This way, even if you lose the debate, you remain focused on the topic and not on the identity of the person stating his beliefs or stand about an issue. 

5. The humility of uncertainty means that one is willing to listen, to ponder, to consider that perhaps one doesn’t have the gospel truth.  That perhaps another human’s perspective has value.  This humility catalyzes personal growth through the consideration of ideas and perspectives. It also states that the humanity of the other person is worth more than being right. 

6. Participating in a debate is very challenging yet fulfilling at the same time. You can use a lot of skills that you learn in a debate in your daily life activities. First is by being a critical thinker. Through this, you can think rationally instead of making rush decisions that might not have a good outcome. It also helps you remain calm in heated situation specially if you will be having a job in the future and it’s inevitable that your opinions or the way you do things is different from your colleagues; so this skill will help you to assess the situation and also the way you respond to it.