A bully says to you, “Why did you do that? You’re stupid.”
You could get defensive and say, “No I’m not!”
Or you could step outside of the attack all together and comment about the attack and/or attacker.
Here are some examples:
“Are you always this kind?”
“Your voice is annoying me now.”
“That sounded like it was meant to insult me…”
“How does it feel being such a jerk?”
“Luckily I don’t care what you think.”
“Are […]
A bully may state, “You’re always so defensive.”
A poor conversationalist would take the bait and respond, “No I’m not!”
Instead, expose the source, “Are you trying to make me act defensive? Because it’s not going to work.”
Everyone you will ever face is only human. In order for them to attack you they must undergo some thought process as to what to say, how to say it, what their goals are […]
A co-worker leans over and says to you, “You really messed up this time didn’t you?”
How would you respond?
Or what if a friend asks you, “Why are you always so defensive?”
The last thing you should say to either of these statements is, “I didn’t mess up!” or “I am not being defensive!”
At any point in a conversation, someone may intentionally focus the attention on you – and not always […]
One of the best ways to stay cool under pressure is to play along.
The bully says, “You’re stupid!”
A poor conversationalist might take the bait and respond with, “No I’m not!”
But if they played along, they could respond instead with, “I am? Wow, I had no idea…thank you so much for enlightening me…” or “You’re right, I’m stupid, for a minute I thought I was smart…what would I do […]
Thomas Jefferson wisely said, “Nothing gives a person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.” That is still true today. The person who seems to maintain their composure always has the edge. If you can remain cool, calm, and collected during a verbal battle, you will automatically have the upper hand.
This works for a few reasons. First, your appearance will project […]
