Don’t persuade, defend or interrupt. Be curious, be conversational, be real. And listen.

Source: "Take 'the Other' to Lunch." TEDWomen 2010. Dec. 2010.  Conference Presentation. Additional Information: This quote by writer Elizabeth Lesser is from her 2010 TED Talk about embracing both sides of one's personality -- "the warrior" and "the mystic" -- in order to understand other people better. In this quote, Lesser gives advice on how to communicate with someone you disagree with: do not try to convince them to agree with you; rather, be friendly, genuine, and open to hearing what the other person has to say. Lesser says that with such conversational guidelines, we can have real dialogue and learn to treat one another better. Watch the full TED Talk here: Elizabeth Lesser - Take 'the Other' to Lunch

“Take ‘the Other’ to Lunch.” TEDWomen 2010. Dec. 2010.  Conference Presentation.