The term is used too often to describe people with whom we disagree or who disappoint us, a psychiatrist argues.

Success is not about winning a competition. It’s about making a contribution.

Negotiation experts have long confirmed the intuition that that being warm and friendly pays off at the bargaining table. Recent research finds that people also tend to believe niceness will buy them better deals — but when put to the test, this prediction turns out to be wrong. It appears that being firm can sometimes lead to better deals, at least in a distributive or single-issue negotiation, than being warm.

Emotional, sensitive, intuitive leaders will be vital to any organization that hopes to achieve success in the next decade.

We all have to deal with irrational people. How can we bring them back to sanity and have fewer arguments? Here's what experts advise...

Being seen at work still matters for your career, but there’s a smarter way to boost your profile than pretending you live at your desk

Sure, you could just argue with them. But if you have to work together, here are more productive ways for everyone to win. 00:00 Let me guess: you argue with...

A leader causing upset among her people is given a coach. They examine what might be triggering people to be upset with her. Learn more.

When you’re at your wit’s end with a challenging colleague and it feels like you’ve tried everything, well-meaning friends and coworkers may tell you to “just ignore it” or to “suck it up” and move on with your life. But suppressing our emotions rarely helps. In this piece, the author outlines four tactics that are tempting to try — but often backfire — when dealing with a difficult colleague. Another one to avoid: waiting to see if your difficult colleague will just leave on their own. Your dream that they’ll walk out the door may come true, but there’s no guarantee that the culture will shift or that you’ll get along with their replacement. Ultimately you’re better off trying to create a workable situation with your colleague now. And remember: even small improvements can make a big difference.

Interpersonal conflicts are common in the workplace, and it’s easy to get caught up in them. But that can lead to reduced creativity, slower and worse decision-making, and even fatal mistakes. So how can we return to our best selves? Having studied conflict management and resolution over the past several years, the author outlines seven principles to help you work more effectively with difficult colleagues: (1) Understand that your perspective is not the only one possible. (2) Be aware of and question any unconscious biases you may be harboring. (3) View the conflict not as me-versus-them but as a problem to be jointly solved. (4) Understand what outcome you’re aiming for. (5) Be very judicious in discussing the issue with others. (6) Experiment with behavior change to find out what will improve the situation. (7) Make sure to stay curious about the other person and how you can more effectively work together.

Michael Bungay Stanier has a rich history of powerful podcasts, including the Great Work Podcast, We Will Get Through This, and 2 Pages with MBS. Find the best episodes in one place here on the Best of MBS.

Here are three strategies you can use to build mutual and fulfilling long-term professional relationships.

Researchers proved decades ago that venting won’t make you feel better.

Defuse difficult conversations with language that's both assertive and affirming.

A guide to uncommitting gracefully.

The sooner you learn it, too, the better.

“It’s not personal” usually means it is.

Lessons from science—and the people who were able to sway Steve Jobs

Berkshire Hathaway’s CEO warns that business failures can occur if personable managers “put on an appearance” of competence.

Pay less attention to them and more attention to your values.

Research shows that giving someone a boost can lift you up too.

It’s so tempting, but it can wreak havoc on your productivity. Here’s how to find your focus instead.

Ruth Bader Ginsberg

Deprive people of interactions with peers, and their social skills will atrophy. This is yet another side effect of the pandemic.

Dorie Clark

Tom Henschel

Getting along well with your peers counts for a lot when you vie for the same plum promotion. Your management career may benefit even if you lose the race. Yet it can be hard to cooperate and compete at the same time.

Tom Henschel