Ask for help. One of the most profound and meaningful ways to stay off the defensive is to proactively ask for help from people around you. This approach can be particularly meaningful when you ask for help from somebody who has proven stubborn, combative, arrogant, or otherwise challenging to work with. I’ve been truly shocked at the extent to which I have been able to improve my relationship with such people simply by reaching out and asking them to share their expertise with me or help me work through a problem I’m struggling to solve. I often encourage product managers to start the week by
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