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2 min.

Communication skills

Punching skill - land hits without causing damage

From Greta Wonneberger and Sabine Walter

"If only I had..." - this thought often haunts us for days after we have experienced a verbal attack in everyday life or at work. In the moment of surprise, we often lack the composure for a good reaction and the right words. Working on our repartee therefore means working on our attitude. Only then can we use proven tools to leave the situation behind us with a good feeling. 

Quick-wittedness is not about hitting, but rather about intercepting blows and redirecting them wisely. If we manage to use rhetorical skills prudently, conflictual conversations can become an exciting sport.

There are various methods to train and improve your repartee. Below we present a method that you can use in everyday life to intercept attacks:

Example: Petra M. is regularly patronised by her boss. One of his attacks: "That's typical for you again - your head is always somewhere else".

What do we advise Petra M.?

  1. Time for facial expressions:
    Take time to look at the attacker's face with interest. Then ask: "What situations are you thinking of?"
  2. Use exclamation:
    First respond with an exclamation like: "Oops!" or "Aha!". Only then comment, for example: "Somebody's excited."
  3. Analyse behaviour:
    Address the behaviour from a greater distance: "They get angry about this thing. And you're making a very fundamental problem out of it. We should sort that out."

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