11 Phrases Brilliant People Use To Politely Prove A Point
Take the anxiety and uncertainty out of your arguments.
Kostiantyn Voitenko | Shutterstock.com Being able to effectively prove a point or argue your opinions in conversations can add value to every aspect of your life, whether you’re presenting in a corporate setting, talking to a potential partner on a first date, or resolving a conflict with a long-term partner. While there are several phrases brilliant people use to politely prove a point, advocating for themselves in conversation, the majority of their verbal tactics rely on helping other people feel understood and valued.
When other people feel comfortable in conversations with you, they not only express more perspectives and opinions, they feel safe accepting and celebrating yours. By working together, even if the end product is your own argument, solution, or point, everyone feels heard — fueling healthier, more fulfilling long-term relationships, connections, and opportunities.
Here are 11 phrases brilliant people use to politely prove a point
1. ‘To support the point you’ve already made’
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Especially for in-person conversations and face-to-face discussions, like a study from the Journal of Social Work Education journal argues are most conductive for healthy conversations, teaching moments, and problem-solving, being able to actively listen is fundamental for the phrases brilliant people use to politely prove a point.
Not only are they reminding the person they’re speaking to that they’re listening with nonverbal cues and open body language, they ask thoughtful questions and convey a sense of authenticity with their language that helps everyone to feel valued in conversation.
By using a phrase like this, that acknowledges another person’s perspective or opinion, you can prove a point by empowering and uplifting other people — making them feel like a solid part of a problem-solving discussion, rather than overlooking their contributions and dismissing their arguments in favor of your own.
2. ‘Let’s approach your problem this way’
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By reminding the person you’re arguing or conversing with that you hear their opinions and are committed to helping them solve problems plaguing their reality, you can politely prove a point without dismissive or invalidating language.
With a phrase like this, you embrace the collaborative nature of an argument, conflict, or problem-solving discussion, bringing all parties in, even if you’re arguing for your own opinions or solutions.
Take the time necessary to learn and understand their perspective, so when you get around to proving your point, you can draw on their experiences to make them feel like a part of the conversation and solution.
3. ‘In my experience, I’ve learned this’
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One of the best ways to prove a point in conversation is to back up an argument with lived experience that other people can empathize and relate to.
Not only does this tactic help other people find common ground and shared experience with the humanity behind your practical argument, it helps them to feel heard and understood in conversation — two of the most important elements of healthy communication, according to a study published in Plos One.
The phrases brilliant people use to politely prove a point often rely on the emotional and social aspect of connection, helping the person they’re talking to feel confident in your argument and end result, without sacrificing their own opinions and right to space in a conversation.
4. ‘Based on this research, I believe this is the best course of action’
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Alongside shared experience and the fundamental parts of communication that help people to feel valued, supplementing an opinion or argument with research, studies, and clear statistics is another way brilliant people effectively prove their points.
According to experts from Newcastle University, as long as your research is clearly and confidently presented, in practical ways that make sense and are relevant to the person you’re speaking to, it’s much easier to prove a point based in fact, especially when there’s an overwhelming emotional veil over an argument.
5. ‘Let’s focus back in on this main argument’
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Rather than use distractions, confusing language, and overcomplicated terms to try to prove a point, consider the ways embracing clarity can help keep everyone confidently on the same page. Especially if you’re relying on experiential stories coupled with facts, data, and research, finding a balance with concise language and simple data to support your point is necessary to ensure nobody feels left out in a conversation.
While competing arguments, aimed at pointing out the flaws in your logic and confusing the main narrative of a conversation, are effective in traditional debate spaces, a conflict resolution in a relationship or a stressful problem-solving discussion at work isn’t benefiting from constant pushback.
Find clarity, make your claims, support them with fact and experience, and make people feel heard — those are the keys to the phrases brilliant people use to politely prove a point.
6. ‘Would you react differently in my shoes’
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Especially in intimate and personal relationship conflicts, encouraging other people to lead with empathy in your conversations can start with a question like this one. Find ways to help other people embrace and understand your perspective, not just to communicate your own emotions, but to find common ground to resolve and mediate conflicts before they transform into resentment.
Even if the person you’re speaking to argues they’d react differently, it shouldn’t feel dismissive or invalidating to have this conversation. Healthy and brilliant people find solace in expressing their emotions, especially with people who are open to supporting and discussing them on a deeper level.
Whether your point to prove is confidence in your reaction to someone’s hurtful behavior or a solution for a work project, confidence is key — in your identity, your perspective, and your relationships.
7. ‘Thank you for sharing your opinions, I’ll consider them’
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Sometimes, proving a point has less to do with getting a definitive “yes” on a proposal or immediate resolution on an interpersonal conflict and more to do with finding compromise.
When we feel confident in our beliefs, opinions, and perspectives, helping other people to feel heard and truly digesting their thoughts only adds to our self-assuredness.
By offering and being a part of “perspective-giving” — listening and sharing your beliefs and experiences — you ensure everyone feels heard and gratified, helping you to prove a point, communicate your needs, or assure your confidence in any conversation, as a study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology explains.
8. ‘Let’s reflect on the main takeaways here’
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To reinforce an argument you’re making in conversation, find ways to promote pockets of reflection with the people you’re speaking with.
Whether it’s a summary of key points at the end of a corporate meeting or a reflection on the emotions your partner communicated amid an argument, find ways to ensure everyone feels understood — it not only adds value to arguments, but everyone’s general happiness and fulfillment when they go their separate ways, as a study from the Journal of Research in Personality found.
While some of the phrases brilliant people use to politely prove a point are directed at supporting and advocating firmly for a specific argument, this one encourages everyone to look at the bigger picture — considering the ways their own opinions, needs, and desires fall into the argument you’re presenting.
9. ‘This is something I believe we agree on’
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Even if you’re navigating a conflict with someone entirely different from you, finding shared experiences and common ground can help you come together, even for a brief moment.
Especially in professional and social situations, humans have a tendency to focus on their differences, experts from BetterUp suggest, so it’s important to intentionally carve out moments of connection that can help everyone to refocus on shared humanity and goals.
10. ‘I’m confident in my argument’
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Whether you’re confident in a path forward, an argument at work, or a solution to a problem plaguing a platonic friendship, being self-assured enough to both verbally and nonverbally communicate confidence to the person you’re speaking with can go a long ways for effectively proving a point.
From actively listening, to maintaining confident body language, and ensuring your facial expressions align with your language in conversations, you can channel the confidence engrained in the phrases brilliant people use to politely prove a point and healthy resolve conflict in their relationships.
11. ‘Let’s consider the possible outcomes here’
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By fast forwarding to the end of a conversation, flipping the script on typical conflict resolution and arguments, and focusing on the outcomes, rather than the debate of solutions, you can prove a point quickly, especially with a confident solution.
By directly focusing on the things plaguing someone’s life or the true points of tension in a relationship, you have the clarity needed to directly address those issues and make other people feel heard.
Instead of making assumptions about what other people need and what solutions would best solve their made-up problems, ask them directly what they need, focus on the outcomes, and discuss solutions from there.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.