How to Talk to Difficult People: Proven Strategies to Stop Arguments & Feel Connected Again

The Mel Robbins Podcast

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Thursday, 3 July 2025 - 1 hour 12 minutes

This episode is your playbook for having saner, smarter, and more successful conversations, even when you disagree. 

If every dinner turns into a debate… 

If you feel like you're having the same argument on repeat… 

If you're avoiding certain topics, work events, or even your family and friends altogether… 

It might feel like your life is shrinking. And you’re not alone. People around the world are feeling the disconnect. 

That’s why Mel called in a world-class expert to give you the blueprint for finally getting through to other people without blowing up, backing down, or bottling it up. 

Today, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Charles Duhigg joins Mel to share science-backed strategies and tools to stop arguing and start connecting again, even when you completely disagree. 

Whether it’s politics, parenting, or that one comment that always sets you off, you’ll learn how to say what needs to be said and actually be heard. 

You’ll learn: 

-The #1 mistake that keeps arguments going (and how to break the cycle) 

-What to say when someone shuts down or refuses to budge 

-The single biggest mistake you make when you argue 

-How to change someone’s mind (yes, really). 

-Proven and simple scripts to disarm difficult people 

-The psychological secret that instantly shifts tense conversations 

Because your relationships depend on this. The right conversation, at the right time, with the right tools, is how things shift. That’s how connection happens. 

This is not about “agreeing to disagree.” It’s about knowing exactly what to say, so you can stay close to the people who matter most – and maybe even change their minds in the process. 

For more resources, click here for the podcast episode page. 

If you liked the episode, check out this one next, with trial lawyer and communication expert Jefferson Fisher: Communicate with Confidence: The Blueprint for Mastering Every Conversation

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