Handle Advice You Disagree With
Added 2026-11-04
Restate it, find the conditions where it holds, then decide.
Someone gave me advice I disagree with (below). Help me process it: 1) restate it to confirm I understood; 2) find the conditions under which it is right; 3) judge whether my situation meets them; 4) give a partial-adoption version; 5) say how to respond if I do not adopt it at all, without offending. Do not just say they are wrong.
Site original
Chinese original
How to use
处理建议的第一步是确认自己没听错，而不是反驳。
Try tweaking it
- Ask what evidence would overturn the judgement.
- Have it argue both sides with three reasons each.
What you should get
- A decision table: assumptions, evidence, counter-evidence
- A next action with an observable signal
Common mistakes
- Asking only "should I?" and getting equally valid answers both ways.
- Never asking for counter-examples, so you only hear support.
How to check the output
- It states what evidence would overturn the conclusion.
- Both sides are argued, with assumptions marked as such.
Where it works
- Good for: splitting a decision into assumptions, evidence and counter-cases, leaving the call to you.
- Watch out: ask what evidence would overturn the judgement, or you will only hear supporting reasons.