How to Be Awesome at Your Job

1028: How to Bridge Disagreements and Create More Win-Win agreements with Robert Fersh

Jan 30, 2025

Robert Fersh, founder of the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution and a seasoned expert in bridging policy differences, shares his insights on conflict resolution. He emphasizes the importance of humility and respectful dialogue in overcoming disagreements. Fersh discusses how curiosity can help identify shared goals, especially in complex fields like healthcare and long-term care. He shares practical strategies for fostering collaboration and maintaining constructive dialogue in the workplace, promoting a win-win approach to conflict.

39:17

Episode guests

Robert Fersh

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Cultivating humility in discussions fosters respectful conversations that can lead to innovative solutions and shared goals.

Building trust through understanding values and interests helps conflicting parties engage meaningfully and discover common ground despite disagreements.

Deep dives

Emphasizing Humility in Conflict Resolution

Developing humility is essential when engaging in discussions about differing ideas, as it allows individuals to recognize that they may not have all the answers. This humility fosters respectful conversation, which can lead to innovative solutions that surpass initial expectations. When participants approach a conflict with an open mind, it can transform the dialogue into a collaborative effort to find shared goals, paving the way for progressive thinking. Ultimately, cultivating humility can be the catalyst needed for overcoming stubborn differences and advancing collective understanding.

Intro

5min

Navigating Healthcare Disagreements

4min

Navigating Complex Agreements in Long-Term Care

3min

Bridging Disagreements Through Curiosity

24min

Cultivating Collaborative Conflict Resolution in the Workplace

4min

Navigating Conflict and Fostering Collaboration

2min

Robert Fersh shares tried and tested strategies for de-escalating conflict and bridging disagreements.

— YOU’LL LEARN —

1) How to find shared goals to move past differences

2) The best way to deal with defensiveness

3) What to do when you fundamentally disagree

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— ABOUT ROBERT —

Rob Fersh is a seasoned consensus-builder and has spent over 45 years bridging policy differences and moving public policy forward in Washington DC, working for Congress, in the Executive Branch, and in leading non-profits. He studied at Cornell University and Boston University School of Law. Rob founded Convergence Center for Policy Resolution in 2009 after directing a national anti-hunger organization. Rob's work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and CNBC.

• Book: From Conflict to Convergence: Coming Together to Solve Tough Problems

• Website: ConvergencePolicy.org

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW —

• Book: Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by William Ury and Robert Fisher

• Book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen Covey

• Past episode: 938: William Ury on How to Thrive in Conflict

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