Discussion: n. communicating much about a subset(s) which may or may not lead to a goal(s) and/or judgment(s)

Discussion is definitely preferable to angry confrontation when it comes to solving problems or just talking about an important subject.  Some subjects are relatively easy to discuss because there is no emotional commitment or strong opinions but it is frequently not easy to discuss subjects such as politics, religion, and sports where we may have some strong differing opinions and may get terribly upset if our views or opinions are challenged.

Discussion also means that you are a good listener and pay attention to what the other human is trying to communicate and successfully reading his or her attitude or emotional commitment to the subject being discussed. 

Another important aspect of discussion is being able to ask questions and gaining a deeper understanding of the point of view of the human whom you are discussing with. 

Empathizing with another’s point of view and frequently praising the point of view if it has merit will increase the probability that the human will also empathize with your point of view and hopefully listen intently. 

If the subject is a highly emotional one then it may be advisable to wait until the emotions die down and then try to discuss the subject with a cool head. When emotional outbursts have run their course or have died down then that is the time to start discussing what caused the outburst and whether there is anything which can be done to prevent future outbursts.

When trying to discuss problems and find solutions it is important to state the problem in words, communicate one or more ways of possibly solving the problem, and then mutually agreeing on a course of action to solve the problem. If the problem seems to have no solution then a little research into the situation may be necessary or an opinion from an expert or third party in the field being discussed may help.

Facts backing up an opinion, prior experiences, and opinions from other humans will frequently help a discussion proceed successfully if there seems to be a deadlock and neither side seems to know what to do.

Group discussions are more difficult  to control and can end in confusion if no one is in charge of leading the group discussion. Everyone should be given an opportunity to contribute something to the discussion and a leader is frequently needed to break up deadlocks when and if they occur. In groups there are frequently one or two leaders who want to do most of the talking and offer most of the suggestions on what to do so the main leader has the responsibility of managing the ego’s of the participants and giving each one just representation in the discussion.

Discussion is a learned skill and you frequently get better at it as you age and have a wealth of information and life experiences to rely upon when making decisions in life.

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