In the world we live in today, “A Healthy Discussion is a Rare Prospect!”
People, today are so absorbed in their own opinions, own beliefs and own faiths that scarcely are they willing to accept new and more creative insights of others. Often, they begin discussing about something but these supposed discussions get converted into arguments and miss out on the main point, they were built upon. Hence, in today’s world, “A healthy discussion is a Rare Prospect”
A discussion is a process of exchange of ideas between two or more individuals about a particular topic to reach a conclusion. Each participant in a discussion is a band of ideas representing a deep insight and different approach to the topic. A discussion can be healthy as well as unhealthy. It can be an amalgamation of knowledgeable ideas as well as futile activity of unrelated arguments. Everything, entirely rests on the shoulders of the speaker and the listener/s.
For a discussion to bloom and reach a mutual conclusion, here are some hacks you must keep in mind.
1. Speak, and Let Others Speak! - This is the basic principle on which a discussion thrives upon. One must have the ability to speak and the courage to listen. If a discussion was only about speaking, then it would have been called a “speech”. However, it is not, since it is a two way process of speaking and listening.
Often, it is observed a discussion gets heated up into an argument. This is because, it is a human irony that whenever someone else is speaking about his/her opinions about a topic, a tornado of ideas begin exploding into your mind but when it is your turn to speak, you might get completely blank. This makes you prone to being impatient, to just speak and be done with it whenever a point pops up into your head, but if you intervene and won’t let the speaker complete, you may lay down an opportunity for someone else to intervene as well and when they will join in too, then there will no discussion but just a chaotic din of several unrelated ideas which can range from being pointless to completely pointless.
Therefore, always remember that whenever this tornado tries to take siege of your mind, take a pen and a notebook and note it down as an investment for your turn.
2. Pay Attention! - If the discussion is about cats and dogs, imagine someone talking about Game of thrones. No, it doesn’t make any sense and it never will but that is what lack of attention does to us. Mind is a powerful tool. It can teleport you to places your heart desires in matter of few seconds, even in the most crucial of situations, but the challenge is to keep the mind sane at all times. It may seem like a pointless argument but it is a part of our everyday reality, for example, most of us while writing exams have thought about that interesting series we are currently binge watching, or that favorite song from that phenomenal movie that doesn’t leave our heads. This is not bad at all the times but during a discussion, attention is a must for we may end up speaking things unasked for.
To prove this point, imagine yourself sitting in a group discussion round for the job you desperately want. They have given an abstract topic for discussion which is “Bollywood Celebrities are good role models.” Now, one must remember that it is a statement and not a question, so avoid countering the topic. Had they wanted you to affirm or negate the topic, the topic would have been like “Are Bollywood Celebrities good role models?”. However, they do not require your negations, so you, going on in length about how they are not good role models is completely unasked for and may cost you rejection. This is the most common trap into which most of us fall or at least stumble. Hence, Always Pay Attention!
To prove this point, imagine yourself sitting in a group discussion round for the job you desperately want. They have given an abstract topic for discussion which is “Bollywood Celebrities are good role models.” Now, one must remember that it is a statement and not a question, so avoid countering the topic. Had they wanted you to affirm or negate the topic, the topic would have been like “Are Bollywood Celebrities good role models?”. However, they do not require your negations, so you, going on in length about how they are not good role models is completely unasked for and may cost you rejection. This is the most common trap into which most of us fall or at least stumble. Hence, Always Pay Attention!
3. Keep Your Points Crisp! - Beating about the bush is never intriguing or engaging, rather it is monotonous and it annoys listeners as much as it wearies the speaker. Whatever you are speaking, it must be straight, crisp and to the point. It is better to speak about one idea at a time rather than hovering around like a bee over bazillion ideas skipping the conclusion of each. Like they say, it is never good to be a Jack of all trades and Master of none for what you are saying will fail to create any impact other than drowsing the listeners.
It is a misconception that quantity of words matter over quality. They never did and they never will. Quantity can never create the same impact as the quality will. One word or thousands, if they lack quality, they are futile.
It is a misconception that quantity of words matter over quality. They never did and they never will. Quantity can never create the same impact as the quality will. One word or thousands, if they lack quality, they are futile.
4. Slow and Steady wins the Race! - This may seems like a contradiction to the former point, only it is not. What this point means is to never be a participant of this mad race of finishing a sentence or sentences in order to transfer the burden of speaking to someone else, just because it makes you nervous. If you hurry into yours words, they will stop meaning anything and your voice will just become an emission of series of disrupting sounds, unpleasant to ears.
Always, take your own time to finish speaking. However, it does not mean you speak five words in one minute but it means that it is okay if at times you stumble or speak slowly because it is necessary for you to enable your listeners to grasp what you are saying. Fast sentences will create a chaos which is going to benefit none in the discussion. Your ideal objective must be to make your listeners understand whatever point you are making.
Always, take your own time to finish speaking. However, it does not mean you speak five words in one minute but it means that it is okay if at times you stumble or speak slowly because it is necessary for you to enable your listeners to grasp what you are saying. Fast sentences will create a chaos which is going to benefit none in the discussion. Your ideal objective must be to make your listeners understand whatever point you are making.
5. Think Before You Speak! - Very common thought. You must be hearing this since years and may or may not been giving a penny of your thought to it. However, it is real. It is a point which is indispensable in a discussion. You can never have a discussion if you forget to keep this in mind.
JK Rowling, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, through the character of Albus Dumbledore said, “Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.” This is absolutely true of all the words, be it spoken or written. You may never know, what you are saying may serve you but offend others. A healthy discussion is never offensive. You must always respect opinions, faiths, beliefs, choices, sentiments and integrity of an individual before speaking anything. Hence, always be aware of the power which words hold before you make a point.
JK Rowling, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, through the character of Albus Dumbledore said, “Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.” This is absolutely true of all the words, be it spoken or written. You may never know, what you are saying may serve you but offend others. A healthy discussion is never offensive. You must always respect opinions, faiths, beliefs, choices, sentiments and integrity of an individual before speaking anything. Hence, always be aware of the power which words hold before you make a point.
6. Do not Pretend! - We are not omniscient beings, we are human beings prone to making mistakes, having an error of judgment or having a flawed opinion about something. However, our beauty lies in our ability to embrace and appreciate a new, more creative and much better thought process even if that did not originate from us. We must not be trapped in the shackles of ego and pretend to know everything in a discussion. We must be much willing to accept better opinions of others and appreciate them.
In simple words, stick to your point but if you come across a point way better than yours, be willing to open up to it. Do not pretend to be always right because nobody is always right. Everyone makes mistake. Hence, we must have the courage to owning up to them and learn and mould ourselves into a more righteous person everyday.
In simple words, stick to your point but if you come across a point way better than yours, be willing to open up to it. Do not pretend to be always right because nobody is always right. Everyone makes mistake. Hence, we must have the courage to owning up to them and learn and mould ourselves into a more righteous person everyday.
These basic pointers are true for all kinds of discussions, be it professional group discussion round or an informal discussion between friends.
Just remember that “Patience is the Key” for every pointer. You must have patience to be a part of a healthy discussion otherwise it will be rendered meaningless.
- Vasudha Sabharwal
Source: https://mindgrad.com/free-reads/f/6-hacks-for-a-healthy-discussion
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