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Fight for the Relationship
When you fight for the future of a working relationship, you often have to fight your own demons, your own inclinations, and your own temptations to win in the short term. You have to fight the urge to beat someone mentally into seeing things your way. When you experience difficult discussions with others, always keep the future in mind. Ask yourself this series of questions: What do you want that relationship to ultimately be? How can that relationship ultimately benefit you, your work, and your organization? Does a short-term win get you there, or is living to fight another day a better strategy?
Assignment
When preparing for a discussion that could result in conflict, consider how you want the relationship to ...