I watch politicians use rhetorical devices to make points. I observe them dodge questions. I watch them pivot answers to their points of view. There are PR people making a lot of money guiding their clients to avoid answering questions. I wonder who these PR people believe is persuaded by these devices?
I am coming to the conclusion that the best form of persuasion is the persuasion you do to yourself.
It’s one thing to talk at you. It’s quite another to ask you a provocative yet judgment-free question that causes you to think — perhaps doubt.
Questions like that only work if you exercise the skill of listening.
The art is not in the question. The art is in the story the question causes the answerer to tell themselves about themselves.
Perhaps being persuasive is about getting people to tell themselves a better story.
No amount of talking at you makes that happen.