As the US becomes even more polarized, disagreements over a wide variety of topics are more and more common.
The only way we can move forward as a society is to find ways to work through our disagreements and forge a path forward. How can we move past disagreement and enter into real dialogue? Here are some ideas.
First, we need to adopt a mindset that the other person actually has something valuable to say. And we must believe that – through dialogue – we might learn something new and important. We need to be genuinely curious and begin with an intent to learn.
Once we adopt this mindset, we need to focus on how a conversation begins. Rather than saying something to a person, such as: “You are so wrong!” Try some of these phrases:
“It’s interesting you say that, please help me understand more.”
“How funny! I had a different reaction.”
“I might be wrong, but . . . ”
“It’s interesting you say that, because I see it differently.”
“I had not thought of it like that! For me, though, it seems . . . ”
“I think I understand your point, though I look at it a little differently.”
Getting off to the right start is crucial to having real dialogue. Try adopting a collaborative mindset and starting your next “disagreement” with some of these phrases. A little humility and an open mind can go a long way.
*Ideas for this blog taken from: Upworthy Blog by Tod Perry: “Conflict expert shares I phrase you can use to stop an argument from happening,” November 2, 2024.
