Conflicted

Bringing valuable lessons from the cutting edge of communication science Conflicted does for our verbal communication what Thinking Fast and Slow did for our inner decision-making.'One of my favourite writers . . . Beautifully argued. Desperately needed.'MALCOLM GLADWELL'Invaluable. The world will be a better place if everyone reads this book and because it's so entertaining they probably will.'PHILPPA PERRY'Essential.'THE TIMES'Fascinating.'FINANCIAL TIMESWhat is the secret of happy relationships?How do companies build collaborative cultures?What lies behind some of the greatest scientific and creative breakthroughs?The surprising answer is conflict.Insight and empathy spring from the clash of different perspectives. In a world where it's easier than ever for people to share their opinions we should be reaping the benefits of diverse views. Instead we too often find ourselves mired in hostility or - worse - avoiding disagreement altogether. Ian Leslie argues that this is because most of us never learn how to air our differences in a way that leads to progress.Conflicted draws essential lessons on how to disagree well from world-class experts interrogators hostage negotiators divorce mediators diplomats and addiction counsellors. It tells inspiring stories of productive disagreements from the invention of the aeroplane to the success of The Rolling Stones and combines them with fascinating insights from the science of human communication.Whether it's at work at home or in public confronting our differences is the only way to make the most of them. Conflicted is about how to do that successfully. Review One of my favourite writers . . . Beautifully argued. Desperately needed. -- Malcolm GladwellInvaluable. The world will be a better place if everyone reads this book and because it's so entertaining they probably will. -- Philippa PerryPerspective-shifting in important ways. -- Oliver BurkemanIan Leslie's writing is a cool bath of sanity in a world of frenzied hot takes. -- Helen Lewis ―Sunday Times bestselling author of DIFFICULT WOMENWhat a brilliant idea . . . to help us engage in dialogue by learning how to disagree. Ian Leslie is a master at this sort of book and it shows here. -- Daniel Finkelstein ―author of EVERYTHING IN MODERATIONIan Leslie is one of our most brilliant science writers and Conflicted is his best yet. It's full of wisdom and surprise and is exactly what we need in a world where disagreement itself feels like it's coming under threat. -- Will Storr ―author of SELFIEThis book is full of good insights stories and practical advice that taken to heart will do everyone good. -- Margaret Heffernan ―author of WILLFUL BLINDNESSEloquent thoughtful advice . . . If you want to argue better Leslie's manual will be invaluable . . . wise and useful. -- James Marriot ―The TimesEssential . . .immediately relevant. -- Iain Martin ―The TimesFascinating . . . [Leslie is] a cool and thoughtful writer in culture and psychology . . . This is a reminder of what we sacrifice by not fighting wisely. -- John Gapper ―Financial Times Book Description Bringing valuable lessons from the cutting edge of communication science Conflicted does for our verbal communication what Thinking Fast and Slow did for our inner decision-making. About the Author Ian Leslie is a journalist and author of two acclaimed books on human behaviourBorn Liars andCurious. His first career was in advertising where he worked as a strategist for some of the world's biggest brands at ad agencies in London and New York. He now counsels business leaders on communication and writes about psychology technology politics and business for theNew StatesmanEconomistGuardian and theFinancial Times. He is the co-host of a podcast series calledPolarised on the way we do politics today. Ian is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He lives