7 Secrets About Disagreeing Only A Handful Of People Know
In any workplace, there will inevitably be disagreements. Learning how to disagree productively is an essential skill for all employees. When done correctly, conflicts can lead to new and innovative ideas. However, there is a right and wrong way to disagree with your coworkers. The following are some dos and don'ts of disagreeing productively in the workplace. "Treat people how you would like to be treated."
Do express your disagreement respectfully.
It can be tricky to disagree with someone while still maintaining a respectful, professional relationship. After all, nobody likes conflict, and it can often be difficult to keep emotions in check. However, to find the best solutions to problems or come up with great ideas, we must learn to disagree productively. As a leader, it's your job to help team members understand how to express their disagreement in a helpful rather than harmful way. Here are some rules for keeping debates professional and on the topic
Do try to see the other person's perspective.
When it comes to conflict, we all have different working styles. And that's OK! What's important is that we learn how to disagree productively, so we can continue to move forward and find the best solutions for our team.
Remember, the goal is not for one person to be "right" or to win the argument. The goal is to solve the problem at hand—together. By following these simple rules—sticking to facts, avoiding personal attacks, and assuming good intentions—we can have constructive debates that lead us closer to our goals.
Do offer solutions
If we want to find the best ideas and reach the best solutions, we need to learn how to disagree productively. That means having respectful conversations where we stick to facts and stay open-minded.
It's not about winning an argument or proving someone wrong; it's about working together to solve a problem. So next time you're faced with a disagreement, remember these tips and keep the conversation focused on finding a solution.
Make it a point to make everyone involved feel comfortable. Often, an argument or debate stems from one person's way of thinking versus another's. To come to a resolution, it is vital that each individual feels at ease and knows they are being heard.
The best way to bring everyone together is to be rational—not emotional. You can ensure the conversation remains civil and productive by avoiding name-calling and refraining from ad hominem attacks.
Furthermore, empathize with the other party; there is a chance that both parties want the same goal in mind — but they may disagree on how to get there.
Remember when trying to find common ground with your counterpart(s). While the team may agree on the problem, everyone's viewpoint is equally important — and rightfully so.
However, due to differences in opinion and personal experiences, your team members will likely offer different solutions to overcome a given problem. Rather than focus on finding the "right" solution, engage the whole team with these steps:
Figure out how everyone feels. Assess everyone's interest (enthusiasm) and disinterest (opposition) level. Identify the why behind the feelings. Ask people why they think about a particular idea or comment. Ask for sources when you receive an opposing point of view and aren't quite sure where it's coming from.
Yes, people will always disagree. Yes, there will always be people who trust you and people who don't. But you're all on the same team, and part of being a good teammate is having fruitful discussions with your product.
- Remember, you're all on the same team.
- Adhere to facts.
- Please don't make it personal.
- Be intellectually meek.
- The objective is to solve the crisis at hand — together.
Don't get personal.
When we disagree, it's easy to get personal and attack each other. But to find the best solutions, we must remember that we're all on the same team and stick to facts. Attack the ideas, not the person presenting them. And be open-minded- you might learn something new yourself!
Don't make assumptions.
Making assumptions about the other person's intention can be easy when we disagree. Maybe they're trying to prove themselves right or want to win the argument. But if we remember that we're all on the same team, and our goal is to solve the problem together, it can help us keep debates professional and on topic. Instead of name-calling or personal attacks, let's stick to facts and precise logic.
Conclusion,
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Kevin
People need to be kinder on this Platform.
Recent Comments
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These are some excellent tips, Kevin! Even if we disagree, if we do it respectfully, we can still keep the peace!
Jeff
Hello Jeffery, thanks for stopping by! We must be mindful of what and how we are doing things.
However disagreeing with a good bonfire does fire up the spirit. Lol..only joking. But I knew people from my past who would do this. A love of motorbikes and fire is a combustible mix. Lol.
The first part is keeping my own emotions in check, then helping keep others emotions in check.
The second thing is we like to talk more than listen, thus not helping the problem and men always want to fix things so first thing we do usually is go from memory of what worked before.
I say learning to listen is the most valuable skill set in many arenas and is necessary to resolving matters.
Then it is repeating what I thought I heard, and if I am wrong this is the time it needs to be addressed, and after that questions, ask questions like you were speaking of in the blog. Very valuable tool.
Then ideas come in, and we give on a try and see what happened. And I make others the winners, give the other team members value, be humble.
Ah, that’s all I got for now. Great idea post for sure, glad it found me. Thanks for writing and sharing.
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Great post, Kevin!
It’s surprising how many people don’t follow these tips! 😎
Frank
Hello, thanks for stopping by! I feel the same way!