Disagreeing Diplomatically
October 18, 2018
A professor of mine once said, “If everyone at your table is nodding in agreement, it might be more interesting to join another table.” I own a bookstore and hosted an “Art of Conversation” series. We shared a set of tools devoted to encouraging meaningful, civil conversation. One of the series’ keystones was to encourage listening, keep an open mind, and find common points of agreement. And then have the courage to go deeper, starting with the phrase, calmly put: “Do you mind if I disagree with you?” Try it—it’s an amazing thing to see people’s faces when they realize they are about to have a REASONABLE encounter.
The lesson: Keep in mind that the most interesting conversations often come from people who disagree.
