Articles & Publications

By Jacqueline Blais, Special for USA TODAY | www.usatoday.com

office argumentThe following is an article excerpt:

Second in a series on management tips for executives. Expert advice on how to make office arguments more constructive, deliver effective feedback, and build teamwork through positive conflict.

JUDITH GLASER: YOUR BRAIN IS HOOKED ON BEING RIGHT

Ever been in a meeting when someone whose ideas are challenged proceeds to argue the air out of the room? The audience is deflated; the speaker is pumped. Problem is, holding forth can be addictive when adrenaline and dopamine flood the brain.

"I've coached dozens of incredibly successful leaders who suffer from this addiction. They are extremely good at fighting for their point of view (which is indeed often right), yet they are completely unaware of the dampening impact that behavior has on the people around them,'' says Glaser in this post on the HBR Blog Network.

Some advice: Set rules of engagement at meetings in advance; practice listening skills one-on-one; and plan who speaks when. In the end, "Connecting and bonding with others trumps conflict." More on that topic is in Glaser's book, Conversational Intelligence: How Great Leaders Build Trust and Get Extraordinary Results.

 


 

Read the full article here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/04/01/executive-edition-managing-debate/2023281/



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