Why Who You Are Affects How You Think #StanfordGSB #Podcast

What happens when you stop trying to win the argument? According to Christian Wheeler, professor of marketing, many of us go on the defensive when a conversation touches on political beliefs we identify with. His research points to something counterintuitive: Restraining that instinct is more effective. And when the person on the other side of the table realizes you’re genuinely trying to understand their perspective — not dismantle it — they tend to soften. “What you’ll find is that that person is likely to reciprocate,” Wheeler says on a new episode of the If/Then #podcast. It’s a small shift in approach with meaningful consequences.