I was reminded recently of the power of kindness.
In debate, things tend to get a little... how should I put it? Heated. Yes, that was the word I was looking for. The nature of debate often pushes the arguments away from the objective path and into the personal arena. We as, human beings, are prone to viewing disagreements with our opinions as attacks on our individual selves. This can lead to nasty name-calling and provocative statements.
Recently, I was coaching a debate where there was such an occurrence. The opposing side started off the round with an incredibly confrontational style of argumentation. They threw snide comments and roundabout jabs at my teams character as they proceeded with their points. At the end of their rebuttal, they closed with referring to my teams arguments as "complete crap." Now as a bloodied veteran of this sport, such a comment hardly ruffled my feathers. That is MILD in comparison to other things I have been called both inside and outside of the debate arena.
However, I was concerned with how my team would respond. The other team had used their strong language and grazing remarks to build a strong image that could be intimidating to inexperienced debaters as my students were. Since I was unsure of how they took the personal swipes, I was naturally a bit worried of how they would handle it.
I shouldn't have been.
With her first sentence, my first responder took all the tension out of the room and popped the opposing team's confidence balloon. As soon as the timer began, she turned slightly toward the Negative team. She began calmly but firmly with, "I see your point, but I would have to disagree." Her eye contact didn't waver for an instant and her voice carried both authority and respect. She then proceed to outline exactly why her argument should stand in light of the evidence presented.
Her perfect parry to the arrogant needling of the opposing team is a great example for any debater. When personal attacks come, responding in kind only escalates the episode. Stroking each other's egos only shows everyone how insecure sides are in their positions. Answering them with respect while still maintaining a quiet confidence will earn you the admiration of your audience and cement your credibility. And that is why EXCELLENCE always makes an IMPACT!