Quick Reference: Defusing Defensiveness

Use this when a feedback, conflict, or accountability conversation starts to harden: crossed arms, accusations of unfairness, or a line like “You already made up your mind.” The goal is to reopen dialogue without dropping the issue. "You already made up your mind, so why are we even talking?" "You are worried this is already decided. I do have concerns, and I want your view before we agree on the next step. The specific issue I want us to look at is the Friday handoff and what changed in the last hour before it missed the client window." The line…

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