For too long, disagreements, or interpersonal conflicts, have evoked negative feeling, and we have been told to do our best not to rock the boat and minimize those fights. But for any relationship to survive, it is vital to manage, cultivate, and even nourish those moments of conflict. 

Being in a conversation with someone who thinks differently than us is never easy.

In this episode with Todd Kashdan, Ph.D. Todd he shares actionable tips to manage those disagreements in different contexts.

Key Takeaways

• How to persuade others skillfully.
• How intolerance and speed of uncertainty feed into rigid thinking.
• The connection between persuasion skills and acceptance and commitment skills.
• The difference between task-oriented problem solving and relationship problems.
• What is cognitive diversity and how it plays in our group interactions.
• How to use cognitive defusion when dealing with interpersonal difficulties.
• Why viewpoint diversity is good.
• How to spark curiosity, not fear.
• How to build stronger alliances during conflict. 

About Todd Kashdan, Ph.D.

Dr. Todd B. Kashdan is a Professor of Psychology at George Mason University. He is a leading authority on well-being, curiosity, psychological flexibility and resilience. For over 20 years, Dr. Kashdan has been teaching college courses on the science of well-being.

Dr. Kashdan has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and his work has been cited over 30,000 times. He is the author of several books including Curious? Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life, and The Upside of Your Dark Side: Why being your whole self – not just your “good” self – drives success and fulfillment.

Dr. Kashdan received the American Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions to Psychology and Distinguished Faculty Member of the Year at George Mason University.

A frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, New York Times, and Psychology Today, Dr. Kashdan has also been a guest on national radio and podcasts. He is a keynote speaker and consultant for organizations as diverse as Mercedes-Benz, Prudential, General Mills, Merck, United States Department of Defense and World Bank Group.