Resolving a Business Argument

 
Six Thinking Hats > Best Practices

Resolving a Business Argument
Gary Wong, Consultant, Canada, SIG Leader
We've all been in arguments, such as when one person wants to proceed with something, but the other wants to stop.
A resolution requires empathic listening, the ability to put yourself in the "other person's shoes" and view an issue from the other's perspective.
A business argument...Here's how a Six Thinking Hats Short Sequence can be used for 2 persons / parties. The hat sequence is: blue > yellow > black > red > blue.
1. Blue hat: let's agree together to look at the pros and cons of the options (in this example, proceeding and stopping.)
2. Yellow hat: now let's both list the benefits of each option. Listen to each other and work to build a list together.
3. Black hat: now let's both list the risks/faults of each option. Again listen and work together.
4. Red hat: check for changes in feelings. Listen for clues like: "oh, now I und...Sign up 		 

 
Be and Think in Their Shoe
Jacob Andrews, Entrepreneur, United Arab Emirates, Member
If both arguing parties put themselves in eachother's shoes, the solution arrives fast.
For example, when a customer reports an issue, or ...Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Business Argument
julia burlacu, Entrepreneur, Mexico, Member
I have a situation at work with a co-worker who wears her ego on her sleeve and despite the fact that even general management tried to resolve the sit...Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Business Argument
Jos Essers, Coach, Netherlands, Member
@Julia Burlacu: you say "she won't change her bahorial pattern". I am pretty certain that she would like to change, ...Sign up
  

 
Thinking, not Labelling
Gary Wong, Consultant, Canada, SIG Leader
@Jos Essers:
Jos: thanks for offering your advice. Let's remember that the Six Thinking Hats wasn't meant to be...Sign up
  

 
Thinking with Difficult People
Gary Wong, Consultant, Canada, SIG Leader
@Julia Burlacu: One of our goals is to improve a person's ability to think in 6 different ways. Consider a person wi...Sign up
  

 
A Team Multiply not Just Sum Strengths of Team Members
Javier Elenes, Business Consultant, Mexico, Member
As an answer to Julia Burlacu question: what should be GM do. I suggest this 3 points
1 GM explain to team members that a team, by definition ach...Sign up
  

 
The Six Thinking Hats for Resolving Business Arguments
Yigzaw Bayew, Member
@Gary Wong: I positively share with Gary Wong that organizing ideas in color could help to guide the disputants and ...Sign up
  

 
Six Thinking Hats Effective Method Equating to Collaboration versus Competition
KATHRYN STEINER, MBA, Entrepreneur, United States, Member
Dealing with others ego's is one of the greatest challenges within business.
There are some that have effectively mastered encouraging res...Sign up
  

 
Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument
sammie, Management Consultant, United States, Member
In addition to all comments, the theory of conflict negotiation also comes to mind.

Thomas-Kilmann conflict mode instrumentSign up
  

 
How to Deal with Rigid, Difficult People
Broli, Consultant, South Africa, Member
Unfortunately difficult or obstinate people have to be 'set up' to be exposed or shocked into seeing their obstinancy. These are the ways of the wise ...Sign up
  

 
Putting Yourself in Their Shoes
SYED ATIF ALI, Student (University), Pakistan, Member
@Jacob Andrews : U mean empathizing?...Sign up
  

 
Be and Think in Their Shoe
wafaa, Sudan, Member
@Jacob Andrews: it is not easy to put ourselves in each other shoes because you can't really feel the pain if you're...Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Business Argument May Require Analysis First
Mahmoud
Thanks to all thoughts putting here for the management styles, but sometimes more effort to diagnose the problem and go deeply in analytical path may ...Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Business Argument
melchiorre calabrese, Manager, Italy, Member
@Julia Burlacu: I offer you the following practical advice:
Search in your co-worker something for which you ca...Sign up
  

 
Understanding Eachother's Personalities
Bill Boynton, Teacher, United States, Member
Very interesting article.
I once experienced an organization who had sent their management people to Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Business Argument
Leodegardo M. Pruna, Professor, Philippines, Member
@Julia Burlacu: the general manager should talk in private with your colleague and lay down the reason for calling h...Sign up
  

 
We are Talking About an Individual
Caroline A Vine, Manager, United Kingdom, Member
My first instinct is to ask why does the member of staff wear her ego on her sleeve? Is there a hidden issue that she has and is overcoming it by her ...Sign up
  

 
Conflict Can Be Beneficial
ARMSTRONG IDAHOR, HR Consultant, Nigeria, Member
Conflict can be beneficial, especially when it has to do with the question of which direction or approach should be taken on a business issue, and the...Sign up
  

 
Blue Hat Summary: We've Just Demonstrated Why we Need Six Thinking Hats!
Gary Wong, Consultant, Canada, SIG Leader
Wow, what rich content! Imagine if we were all in a meeting room together. How many conversations would be going on at the same time?
- I visuali...Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Business Argument
Darryl Lynn Jones
Fantastic reminder for those in clinical supervisory capacities!...Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Business Argument
Vachu Kabbinale, Student (MBA), India, Member
@Julia Burlacu : From your note, I believe your management tried all the means to straighten up the situation. Now t...Sign up
  

 
How to Deal with Disagreement about the Value of Benefits and Risks?
Damith Baduraliyage, Student (MBA), Sri Lanka, Member
Most arguments get stuck at evaluating benefits and risks. The gravity of elements within are not agreed upon due to experience, lack of facts etc.Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Business Arguement
Adamson, Zambia, Member
That is a good approach. However, when I count the steps presented, I see only five. May be it was a typing error but I feel she should include a whit...Sign up
  

 
Short or Long Hat Sequence
Gary Wong, Consultant, Canada, SIG Leader
@Adamson:
Indeed in this particular use of the 6 thinking hats there are only 5 steps in which 4 of the hats ar...Sign up
  

 
Sometimes a Problem Cannot Be Solved
Mahmood Azizi, Manager, Iran, Member
Thanks for putting these thoughts here. If the argument was due to priority of works, schedule, technical matters and something like these there is a ...Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Business Argument: Personality Types
SAMUEL NDUATI MBUGUA, Management Consultant, Kenya, Member
When resolving an argument, it is important to understand the psychological type of the people involved in order to know the level of the flexibility ...Sign up
  

 
Effective Conflict Resolution is Vital to Organisation's Health
John Moses, Manager, Nigeria, Member
There is nothing bad in conflict but how it is resolved is what is more important which I think should be effective and organisational centered.
...Sign up
  

 
Dealing with Non-Cooperative Persons
Mandulo, Manager, South Africa, Member
Some individuals may be difficult or are not cooperating because they are hiding certain weaknesses. Those individuals need guidance and should be inf...Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Business Argument Must Add Value
Taurai Nyamuzuwe, Student (MBA), Zimbabwe, Member
@John Moses : I agree a conflict is healthy only if it adds value to the organization. But if some person is being d...Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Business Argument
Ranjan, Director, India, Member
I suggest to assign goals / responsibilities which need each other's help to be achieved.
The person having the big ego must get even more diffic...Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Business Argument..
VENKATESWARAN, Teacher, India, Member
Gary, congrats for this good initiative... It is a practical problem in organizations. I suggest you create an article with all the inputs given herei...Sign up
  

 
Six Hats Fantastic for Resolving Issues
ernest agbenohevi, Consultant, Ghana, Member
The six thinking hats constitutes a fantastic model for resolving issues. People find themselves in entrenched positions for reasons of lack of suffic...Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Business Argument: Get Rid of the Anger First :-)
Strauss, Manager, South Africa, Member
Wow people this is a very interesting sequence of steps to follow - I believe that this could also be used for personal needs.
However I might sa...Sign up
  

 
The Role of Time in the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument
Jim Liang, Management Consultant, Australia, Member
@Sammie Cheston: Just to add another aspect to Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument -- it is certainly a useful t...Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Biz Argument
Amir Momendoust, Manager, Iran, Member
@Julia Burlacu: Hi Julia, have you been through personality behavior studies like DISC? For me, root-cause analysis ...Sign up
  

 
Managing Primary Feelings
Dr zahra gheidar, Consultant, Iran, Member
Yes, it is considerable point; "put yourself in other person's shoes", so you can solve a disagreement or problem with the Six Hats sequence as descri...Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Business Argument - Stick to the Facts
T Macey, Manager, United Kingdom, Member
@Julia Burlacu: Hi Julia, I had a similar issue recently with a collegue (we are both department heads). She got hea...Sign up
  

 
Hat Sequence - Stick to the Facts
Gary Wong, Consultant, Canada, SIG Leader
@T Macey: To put your suggestion into Six Thinking Hats terms:
1. Blue hat - state the purpose of the meeting: ...Sign up
  

 
Resolving a Business Argument
claudio pizzi, Business Consultant, Argentina, Member
Dear Julia, really it is very interesting to read the different answers that we have in this internet forum.
In my humble opinion when a person ...Sign up
  

 
Managing Ego Among Subordinates
robin umiom, Entrepreneur, Nigeria, Member
Julia has brought a live issue for consideration under this heading. Managing ego among subordinates has been and will continue to be an arduous task ...Sign up
  

 
Understanding Each Others Personalities
Andyson Mupeta, Student (MBA), Member
This can lead to perceived opinions even before the discussion starts. The "I knew it, why did I even bother" syndrome will rule.
I would like to...Sign up
  

 
Dealing with High Ego's
Wisdom Amegbletor, CEO, Ghana, Member
A person who wears his or her ego up her sleeve is likely to be covering a perceived or real defect.
Remember that the best form of defence for s...Sign up
  

 
Gleaning Well-rounded Synergistic Feedback
Darryl Lynn Jones
@Kathryn Pawley Steiner: As you know, gleaning well-rounded synergistic feedback is an ongoing challenge. It can be ...Sign up
  

 
Controlling Time using a Six Thinking Hats Sequence
Gary Wong, Consultant, Canada, SIG Leader
@Darryl Lynn Jones: Darryl: Using Six Thinking Hats enables a facilitator to execute the good points you have made. ...Sign up
  

 
Work with Other's Ego
Plyin, Manager, China, Member
@Julia Burlacu: Keep the communication going. If she keeps her ego anyway, show her the consquence. In some circumst...Sign up
  

 
Work with Other's Ego
Adamson, Zambia, Member
I agree with Plyin's view that you should keep on communicating. Indeed apply negative reinforcement if things get out of hand.
However, consider...Sign up
  

 
Two Levels of Self Esteem / Ego
claudio pizzi, Business Consultant, Argentina, Member
@Julia Burlacu : Dear Julia, the ego is an excess of self-esteem. Sometimes the reasons can be found on the surface ...Sign up
  

 
Administrative Theory is Important
JOSE AGUILAR, Project Manager, Guatemala, Member
I have some experience with companies that have some of the problems that you bring to the forum. I´ve realized that many managers and executives of t...Sign up
  

 
Dialogue the Need for Listening
Bill Boynton, Teacher, United States, Member
@Kathryn Pawley Steiner: there is a lot of value in addressing "dialogue" as a method of communicating, where the wh...Sign up
  

 
Parallel Thinking Greatly Aids Listening to Understand
Gary Wong, Consultant, Canada, SIG Leader
@Bill Boynton: Instead of listening with the intent to understand, we all too often unfortunately "listen with the ...Sign up
  

 
Documenting May Assist with Resolution Utilizing Six Hats
KATHRYN STEINER, MBA, Entrepreneur, United States, Member
Everyone has provided thought provoking contributions to this discussion. The six hats method, if agreed upon by all participants, would assist with b...Sign up
  

 
Hats Applied But it Went Wrong
Caroline A Vine, Manager, United Kingdom, Member
Hello all, I recently applied the hat theory on a colleague who subsequently left the office in a huff as they wanted a win and would not listen to an...Sign up
  

 
Apply the Black Hat with your colleague
melchiorre calabrese, Manager, Italy, Member
@Caroline A Vine : Invite your colleague for a coffee and ask him/her to examine together the risks for future p...Sign up
  

 
Co-worker Issue Resolved
julia burlacu, Entrepreneur, Mexico, Member
Thank you very much to all who answered my query. I am very grateful for your opinions. In the end the situation got solved. But it took few steps. Fi...Sign up
  

 
How to Deal with Disagreements at Work
Jaap de Jonge, CEO, Netherlands, Editor
I read the following interesting tips on having disagreements at work by Amy Gallo:
What you should do:
  • Focus on c...Sign up
  

 
How to Handle Disagreement in your Team as a Manager
Jaap de Jonge, CEO, Netherlands, Editor
Yet another interesting HBR article on handling disagreements, this time as a manager of people in your team… Suppose 2 people in your team have a ser...Sign up
  

 
Hats and Sequences to Use in Case of Disagreement in your Team
Gary Wong, Consultant, Canada, SIG Leader
@Jaap de Jonge: Since this is the Six Thinking Hats forum, here are the hats to wear and sequences to follow for th...Sign up
  

   

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