Seven Ways to Convince Any Man You're Right

"Women are perceived to be more emotional, so we sometimes try to be taken more seriously by acting more like men. That was my approach when I first started debating: I would wear suits to tournaments, even though I'm more of a dresses kind of girl. But when I finally decided to start wearing colorful dresses, my mood lifted, I was more comfortable and I started winning more often."

—Ali Lieberman, 21, the reigning collegiate debate champion of Louisiana (a coup, since historically about 70 percent of debaters are men)

"When you're a woman in a male-dominated world — like pro basketball — you will constantly be questioned. Recruiting for my college team, I'd sometimes run into fellow coaches who'd say, 'What qualifies you to be here, anyway? Have you even played basketball?' I'd tell them I started in college, then I'd ask them the same question. Half of them had never played themselves!"

—Stephanie Ready, 35, a FOX Sports reporter and the first woman ever to coach in a men's pro-basketball league

"When men find out that I'm 'The GPS Girl,' their first reaction is often 'I love driving with you!' I think they're comfortable following my voice, because when I recorded those directions, I spoke just like I do in real life — no pretensions or dramatics. Men respond to that."

—Karen Jacobsen, "The GPS Girl," the Australian voice heard on Garmin Global Positioning Systems products (up to 25 million drivers follow her directions every day!)

"Whether you're talking to your boyfriend or 10 guys in a locker room, nothing you say will matter if a bad reputation precedes you. You can give the best rah-rah rah speech in the world, and if you're not trusted, guys will just roll their eyes."

—S.R.

"If you're speaking about something you're passionate about, you're going to speak passionately, and that's a good thing. People stop and listen when they can see you really, truly care."

"Stick to what you know. Ignorance practically never wins. Arguing is like verbal jujitsu; there are so many twists and turns, and if you're not armed with knowledge, you'll be crushed. That said, even if you don't know enough to, say, argue politics with a loudmouthed guy at a party, you can just end the conversation. Pull him aside and say, 'I think we have different opinions on this topic, but let's not talk about it right now.'"

—A.L.

"I actually do this: When things are getting heated between my husband and me, I take a deep breath and say, 'Recalculating.' It usually makes us both laugh, and it always reminds me to stop and look at what's underneath my anger. Then I can speak from a more rational place."

—K.J.

More from Bing and MSN Lifestyle Site Search: See more on the powers of persuasion, speaking your mind and communication styles.