Loud Thinking

Lower Resistance by Listening

When you encounter opposition to an idea or suggestion, you can strong-arm your challenger into getting what you want, or you can reinforce your relationship by listening. When you coerce an employee into doing something – even if he complies with your demands – his initial resistance will fester over time and may come back to bite you later.

When someone doesn’t agree with you, it’s natural to repeat yourself, often more loudly. Instead, if you are getting pushback, listen. Repeat back what you’ve heard to make sure you truly understand what the other person means. When you stop trying to convince someone and instead focus on listening to his point of view and respecting it, his resistance will often disappear.

Adapted by HBR from “Practical Tips for Overcoming Resistance,” by Mark Goulston.