"That’s no way to convince people."

Why is convincing people the be-all and end-all of communication? Doesn't just being right count for something?

Obviously you need a lot of people who are willing to do the work of convincing folks, but you also need other people who are willing to be right whether it's popular or not. Every book I have ever read on selling change within organizations says that you need to start by talking with the people who are the most receptive to new ideas, regardless of where they are in the hierarchy.