The concept of 'Time Travel' in a professional setting can be used to improve communication by setting expectations for future interactions. This involves asking individuals how they would like to be communicated with in future scenarios. By doing this, you can tailor your communication style to their preferences, which can lead to more effective and civil interactions. This method can also help to prevent misunderstandings and conflicts, as everyone is clear on how information will be conveyed moving forward.

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Talking to Crazy: How to Deal with the Irrational and Impossible People in Your Life

Do you often deal with bullies, manipulators, know-it-alls and other types of “crazy” in your professional life? If you reason with irrational people,...

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Gordon and his team, who handled IT support for litigation attorneys, repeatedly found themselves verbally abused whenever minor issues arose. The lawyers were venting their work stress on the team. In a client meeting, Gordon used a variant of "Time Travel" by asking the specific way in which they would like his team to communicate issues to them going forward. He noted the attorneys' preferences and repeated them back to double-check. Later, when a server issue came up, Gordon reminded the client of their previous agreement and to his surprise, the attorneys behaved civilly.

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Talking to Crazy" presents several surprising insights and techniques for dealing with irrational and impossible people. One such technique is the "Time Travel" method, where you ask the person how they would like you to communicate with them in the future. This method was effectively used by Gordon and his team to manage their communication with litigation attorneys, leading to a more civil interaction. Another key insight is that reasoning with irrational people often backfires, suggesting that alternative communication strategies are necessary when dealing with such individuals.

The book 'Talking to Crazy' has significantly influenced conflict resolution strategies in corporate environments by providing effective techniques to deal with irrational and difficult people. One of the strategies is the 'Time Travel' technique, which involves asking individuals about their preferred way of communication or handling issues in the future. This strategy was effectively used in a corporate setting where IT support team was often verbally abused by litigation attorneys. By using this technique, the IT team was able to establish a civil communication with the attorneys, thus resolving the conflict.

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