Avoid putting yourself on a limb

It is just as important to avoid putting yourself on a limb with a dogmatic statement from which you can’t shift gracefully. Most issues are not black or white. Your point of view is not the only one. There may be arguments you haven’t thought of or facts you don’t know. Whether as a boss, you will better understand if you encourage feedback by beginning, “Doesn’t it seem to you that . . .” or “Can you tell me whether . . . ?” Even when you get unavoidably embroiled in a hot argument, it is a good idea to show that you are thinking along with the other person, no matter how unreasonable he may be: “I would be angry, too if my window were broken.” When the other fellow knows that you have really listened, really understood him, he can’t help feeling friendlier.