How to Disagree Better
People need to engage more with opposing viewpoints (book interview + giveaway with Julia Minson)
Disagreement is inescapable. Yet people often avoid disagreements because engaging can feel unproductive or even a bit terrifying when they don’t have the right tools. Intergroup conflict, polarization, conflicts in the workplace, and relationships can be difficult to navigate because both (or all) parties often believe they are right.
In a new book, How to Disagree Better, Harvard University public policy professor, Dr. Julia Minson, argues that most of us have been approaching disagreement the wrong way. You can present your case with bulletproof logic. You can share compelling data. You can explain exactly why you’re right. And somehow, the other person digs in even deeper.
She argues that the best frameworks for disagreement that are grounded in scientific evidence are the ones that focus on language. The H.E.A.R. strategy acknowledges the counterpart while making your own point. It’s also important that people increase their use of positive language (rather than words like “don’t”…
