Chinese persuasion often favors indirect over direct approaches. Rather than stating conclusions baldly or pressing arguments aggressively, skilled persuaders lead audiences to reach conclusions themselves, use intermediaries, or allow positions to develop without explicit statement. This indirection preserves face—direct assertions that are rejected create face loss for everyone; indirect approaches avoid this risk.
It also reduces resistance—direct argument can trigger defensive responses, while indirect approaches bypass defenses by not appearing as challenges. Learn to communicate positions through implication, to use questions that lead toward conclusions, to employ intermediaries who can float ideas and test reactions. What audiences conclude for themselves they own more fully than conclusions imposed on them.
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