A well-known coach-consultant, in his new rhetoric textbook, shares techniques for running discussions that can disarm an opponent who is not always well-intentioned.
Verbal boomerangs, the “no-go” technique, prompts that encourage the other person to provide the needed information, and exercises for training reaction to accusations, “killer” phrases, and false statements—all of this will help when you’re in a situation where you can’t find the right words to respond to your opponent properly.