What “12 Angry Men” Teaches Us about the Art of Persuasion

The acclaimed courtroom drama teaches how to bridge divides in a polarized society.

Illustrator unknown; “Copyright 1957 United Artists Corp.”, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

We often find ourselves at an impasse with others and wonder why they can’t see things our way. Our conversations sour as frustrations mount and tempers flare. The promise of a healthy dialogue quickly deteriorates, and relationships erode.

The 1957 film 12 Angry Men is a master class in the art of persuasion that can teach us how to have more constructive conversations. The film takes us inside a jury deliberation following a murder trial. The defendant is an 18-year-old boy from the “slums” who is accused of murdering his father. A guilty verdict puts him in the electric chair.

In a preliminary vote, 11 members of the jury find the boy guilty. But there is one holdout: Juror #8. Played by Henry Fonda (and referred to as Henry hereafter), Juror #8 faces the daunting task of persuading the others to reconsider their verdict.

Spoiler alert: The rest of this article contains spoilers from the film.

Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The first thing to note is Henry’s quiet courage and humility. Henry realizes that he’s in the…