Being confrontational

[Waldo]

How do you people cope with being confrontational? Are you able to stay calm and firm? What's the best, most effective way, to be confrontational?

[*Wallace*]

I find a poke in the eye seldom fails.

[tzijlstra]

The Dutch are generally considered confrontational. We speak our mind and are prepared to defend our opinion yet at the same time it is completely acceptable to change your mind during debate as long as you indicate that you were convinced by the other party.

 

Being confrontational is the easy part for me, trying to fit in with silly English nodding and yessing and then gossiping to someone else is harder.

[Halibut]

How do you people cope with being confrontational? Are you able to stay calm and firm? What's the best, most effective way, to be confrontational?

 

Have a clear idea of the message you want to get across. Adopt assertive body language and tone of voice, deliver message.

[Gamston]

Have a clear idea of the message you want to get across. Adopt assertive body language and tone of voice, deliver message.

 

AND

 

stay calm and firm .

[andrejuan]

The Dutch are generally considered confrontational. We speak our mind and are prepared to defend our opinion yet at the same time it is completely acceptable to change your mind during debate as long as you indicate that you were convinced by the other party.

 

Being confrontational is the easy part for me, trying to fit in with silly English nodding and yessing and then gossiping to someone else is harder.

 

You and me the same, but I don't think it's an English thing, just lack of backbone.

[Waldo]

AND

 

stay calm and firm .

 

I don't think I'm very good at being confrontational; but I do think calm and firm is the key to getting the best out of people. Loosing your rag and becoming at all aggressive is actually a sign of weakness and imbalance.

 

Clear, calm, focused, firm, polite. How does that sound? I'm sure that's the way to do confrontation.

[tzijlstra]

You and me the same, but I don't think it's an English thing, just lack of backbone.

 

But I had to put a generalisation in there to be considered confrontational

[Halibut]

I don't think I'm very good at being confrontational; but I do think calm and firm is the key to getting the best out of people. Loosing your rag and becoming at all aggressive is actually a sign of weakness and imbalance.

 

Clear, calm, focused, firm, polite. How does that sound? I'm sure that's the way to do confrontation.

 

Sounds good to me. Are you expecting to have tell someone something they aren't going to like very much? Good luck.

[Waldo]

Are you expecting to have tell someone something they aren't going to like very much? Good luck.

 

Generally, I'm not very good at being confrontational. I'd usually avoid it, even at times where I really should be confronting people and making my point. I really hate that I'm like this. It's maybe even a kind of cowardice.

 

Anyhow, at the risk of sounding like a complete wimp...

 

There is a specific situation I'm thinking of. I had some work done on my car in April this year; and the problem has come back. It wasn't cheap to fix (and I think they did a bit of a bodge, but hey, I don't know cars) so I'm thinking they should correct the problem at no charge.

 

Now, I generally do not trust people (probably unfairly so, as a lot of people are decent and honest) and I'm anticipating the garage taking a look and saying it's something else that's gone wrong, in an attempt to squeeze more cash out of me.

 

Oh what a dim view of the human race I have. Is this normal?