How To Disagree Better

Celebrated Harvard Kennedy School Professor and behavioral scientist Julia Minson has devoted her career to understanding the psychology of disagreement and its relevance to negotiations, conflict-resolution, and decision-making. In this revolutionary book, Minson reveals the counterintuitive secret to living a life of less drama and more impact.
How many times have you tried to resolve a dispute by overwhelming someone with a flood of facts, appealing to your counterpart's emotions, or pointing out the hypocrisy of their arguments only to end up in an even deeper disagreement than when you started? Julia Minson's two decades of research into the science of disagreement uncovers two insights that can change every disagreement: persuasion doesn't work nearly as well as we think it does, and displaying receptiveness to opposing views is the key to not only preventing conflict, but also to forging stronger relationships and making better decisions.
The science shows that receptive individuals don't just fight less, they also get more done-they are better negotiators, better peacemakers, and yes, better influencers than the rest of us. Through original research and case studies, How to Disagree Better will show you:
Why persuasion doesn't work as well as you think it does
How you can reach better conflict outcomes simply by signaling receptiveness
That disagreeing well is a skill all of us can learn
How to apply these ideas at home with your partner and kids, as well as at work in your negotiations and decision-making
By practicing receptiveness, you'll see your conflicts soften, your conversations deepen, and your relationships grow stronger. You will create a richer, wiser, kinder life for yourself and for those around you-and you will find them agreeing with you a little more often, too.

Julia Minson is a Professor at the Harvard Kennedy School. She is a behavioural scientist with extensive research experience in conflict, communication, negotiations, and decision making. Her primary line of research addresses the "psychology of disagreement"-how do people engage with opinions, judgments, and decisions that are different from their own? Her work on receptiveness to opposing views and related topics has been published in top academic outlets in the social sciences and covered by the popular press including CNN, TIME, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and The New York Times.