To go back to the eve of the battle of Salamis, one historical source tells of a moment when the Spartan commander-in-chief, Eurybiades, became so enraged with Themistocles, the Athenian general, that he raised his staff to strike him on the head.
Themistocles looked at him calmly and said: “ Strike me, if you will, but listen to me.” According to Plutarch, the Spartan commander was so taken aback by Themistocles’s reaction that he backed down and let him persuade the council of his winning strategy. I can’t promise you the outcome of all discussions will be the same.