Asking why something matters can reveal flexibility that arguing over the demand cannot.

Arguing about a demand keeps both people defending a fixed point. Asking why it matters moves the conversation to the reason, where there is nearly always more than one acceptable answer. People are usually rigid about the specific ask and flexible about the underlying purpose, but only if someone asks about it. The flexibility exists; it just has to be found.

Next time you are stuck, replace your counterargument with a question about what makes it important. Listen properly to the answer rather than looking for the flaw. The alternatives usually appear within a few minutes.