I want you to think back to your most recent argument. Who was it with? What were the points of contention? Why did the conversation spiral out?
Chances are the reason things went so poorly was because you let emotion take the wheel, and became more focused on being right than solving a problem. Ego tells us that we have to be right. It turns our attention toward “winning” and away from productive conversations. But this doesn’t have to be the case.
When we focus solely on being right, we dismiss the feelings and opinions of others. This multiplies frustrations, causing arguments to continue indefinitely.
The toughest and most rewarding thing you can do in your personal and professional life is to elevate your conversations by guiding them toward solutions, and away from opinions. Forget about being right. Instead focus on what you can do to solve the problem.
Lead by example.
Start by figuring out the reason that the other person feels the way they do. Try to uncover the root of the problem, and help guide them into a more productive frame of mind. Use solution based thinking to examine the issue and come up with ways to solve it.
You can let the other person “win” and still benefit more from a conversation than if you had stuck to your guns and tried to prove you were right. In a battle of opinions, nobody wins. Remember that leaders create solutions. Don’t let emotion cloud your perspective and prevent you from realizing your full potential.