Conflicted: Why Arguments Are Tearing Us Apart and How They Can Bring Us Together

A THE TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR

Bringing valuable lessons from the cutting edge of communication science, Conflicted does for our verbal communication what Thinking Fast and Slow did for our inner decision-making.

‘One of my favourite writers . . . Beautifully argued, desperately needed.’
MALCOLM GLADWELL

‘Invaluable. The world will be a better place if everyone reads this book, and because it’s so entertaining they probably will.’
PHILPPA PERRY

‘Essential.’ THE TIMES
‘Fascinating.’ FINANCIAL TIMES

What is the secret of happy relationships?

How do companies build collaborative cultures?

What lies behind some of the greatest scientific and creative breakthroughs?

The surprising answer is: conflict.

Insight and empathy spring from the clash of different perspectives. In a world where it’s easier than ever for people to share their opinions, we should be reaping the benefits of diverse views. Instead, we too often find ourselves mired in hostility or – worse – avoiding disagreement altogether. Ian Leslie argues that this is because most of us never learn how to air our differences in a way that leads to progress.

Conflicted draws essential lessons on how to disagree well from world-class experts: interrogators, hostage negotiators, divorce mediators, diplomats and addiction counsellors. It tells inspiring stories of productive disagreements, from the invention of the aeroplane to the success of The Rolling Stones, and combines them with fascinating insights from the science of human communication.

Whether it’s at work, at home, or in public, confronting our differences is the only way to make the most of them. Conflicted is about how to do that successfully.

‘A cool bath of sanity in a world of frenzied hot takes.’
HELEN LEWIS

‘Perspective-shifting in important ways.’
OLIVER BURKEMAN