Darren Willoughby
Thought
Managing Director at 2XL Commercial Finance
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Making the argument
H
aving just come off the phone with yet another lender that operates on a ‘computer says no’ model, I found myself questioning myself as to whether I had presented the case correctly or whether the bank was just being stubborn in their approach to this particular client. This then got me thinking about whether the ability to argue or make a case in what is becoming an increasingly regimented and automated world is waning? Sometimes I find myself banging my head against a brick wall when people can’t see the facts as I have presented them. Questions arise here: have I presented correctly? Is the person I’m having the argument or discussion with not capable of seeing the point? Or do they just not want to see it? Another question could be: are we picking the right argument after all? As writer and comedian WC Fields once said: “I don’t have to attend every argument I’m invited to”. Or perhaps I am just disputant and love to have an argument or debate; a key skill in my opinion. Jonathan Herring’s book How to Argue lists the ten golden rules of arguing. It closely related
to critical thinking and reasoning. Argument skills belong among the essential 21st-century cognitive skills, especially when we face complex issues that require careful, balanced reasoning to resolve. This is particularly important when presenting lending cases to banks, but also in everyday life, particularly if you are a parent. I relate to this as I spend much of my time persuading my seven-yearold why he should brush his teeth properly, why he should go to bed earlier as opposed to watching his iPad, or why he should focus on tackling more than trying to score at football. Sometimes though, arguing (or persuading) is not what we want to spend our time doing. But avoiding those topics won’t help. This can actually have a deeper impact on a working or personal relationship in that it can cause bitterness further down the line. My advice, talk it out. Whether that’s in a professional or personal capacity. After all, as philosopher Karl Popper stated: “The aim of an argument, or discussion, should not be victory, but progress”. Let’s hope my seven-year-old can see that reasoning soon!
