The best way to open people's minds isn't to argue with them. It's to listen to them. When people feel understood, they become less defensive and more reflective—and develop less extreme, more nuanced views. Productive disagreements begin with curiosity, not persuasion.
This research reveals the power of good listening in smoothing out disagreements. When people engage in high-quality listening, it can create a sense of connection and comfort for the speaker. This, in turn, seems to prompt speakers to think more deeply about their perspective, resulting in a noticeable reduction in attitude differences. Our findi
... See moreOffering undivided attention and curiosity not only lowers the temperature of a conversation but can change its outcome
whenever he discussed something with anyone at work, he would start by offering his impressions of how the other person saw things. Then he would ask, “What did I miss?” Asking this question is a clever move. It implies that he’s open to correction and gives the other person a chance to correct him. One of the deepest-rooted human instincts is to c
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