“If you have quick verbal skills, use humor to deflect attacks. A quip instead of a counterattack can ease tension, reduce the impact of the other person's aggression, and help build the relationship. When in doubt, use self-deprecating humor such as, “Oh, I see, all you want me to do is to cave in, go belly up, and hand you everything you want. I guess I must come across as the weakest player in the universe.” And with tough bargainers, don't give in too soon; otherwise they might worry that they could have gained more and left too much on the table. In such cases, you must let them believe that they have wrested every last concession from you.”
Source: Influence Without Authority
“We all see the same thing but interpret it differently.”
Source: Quantraz
“Being around other people and developing close relationships feels good for a reason, and that reason is dopamine. Thus it’s not surprising that dopamine and oxytocin interact with each other. Dopamine neurons connect to the part of the hypothalamus where oxytocin is produced, and oxytocin stimulates the area of the brain stem where dopamine is produced. In addition, the dopamine-rich nucleus accumbens receives input from oxytocin neurons.”
Source: The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time
“Even after you've spent years staying together with someone, you'll never truly know them if they are emotionally not connected with you.”
“Communication in argument leads to problems while communication in conflict leads to solutions.”
Source: Quantraz
“I have more boundaries, more directness, and speak up for myself in my relationship with my wife more than I ever have in any other relationship.”
Source: Not Nice: Stop People Pleasing, Staying Silent, & Feeling Guilty... And Start Speaking Up, Saying No, Asking Boldly, And Unapologetically Being Yourself
“I want to emphasize how important it is to maintain a collaborative relationship even when you’re setting boundaries. Your response must always be expressed in the form of strong, yet empathic, limit-setting boundaries—that is, tough love.”
Source: Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It
“Think of punching back and boundary-setting tactics as a flattened S-curve: you’ve accelerated up the slope of a negotiation and hit a plateau that requires you to temporarily stop any progress, escalate or de-escalate the issue acting as the obstacle, and eventually bring the relationship back to a state of rapport and get back on the slope. Taking a positive, constructive approach to conflict involves understanding that the bond is fundamental to any resolution.”
Source: Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It
“By considering the context of the negotiation, the relationships involved, and your alternatives away from the table, you will become adept at identifying when to negotiate, when to accept a deal without negotiating, and when to simply walk away.”
Source: Negotiation Genius: How to Overcome Obstacles and Achieve Brilliant Results at the Bargaining Table and Beyond
“Just because a relationship ended doesn't mean it wasn't true or good or worth having. Everything expires eventually. Enjoy the good for what it was, not what it always has to be.”