What do you do when someone says something you completely disagree with? Some of us smile, nod and quickly change the subject because keeping the harmony feels safer than challenging someone. But especially when socialising across cultures, constantly agreeing can actually make it harder to develop genuine connections, interesting conversations need different opinions. At the other extreme are people who treat every disagreement like a competition that somebody has to win. Join Chris, an IELTS and communication coach whose clubs are always full of laughter and interaction, for a workshop on one of the most valuable, and surprisingly difficult, communication skills we can develop: how to disagree openly while keeping the conversation friendly.

We’ll break disagreement down almost like a science. How do you challenge an idea without attacking the person? How can your choice of words, tone of voice and even the questions you ask completely change how disagreement feels? When should you soften your language, and when should you confidently stand your ground? Through examples, mini-challenges, roleplays and plenty of actual disagreement, you’ll practise expressing strong opinions, responding to opposing views and keeping conversations moving rather than shutting them down. The goal isn’t to become more agreeable, it’s to become better at disagreeing. Expect lots of interaction, some deliberately provocative opinions and plenty of laughs as we practise turning disagreement from something uncomfortable into one of the best ways to have deeper conversations and build stronger connections.

当别人说了你完全不认同的话，你会怎么办？有人选择微笑点头，赶紧换个话题，毕竟维持和谐比直接怼回去安全多了。但尤其在跨文化社交里，一直点头附和反而更难交到真朋友，有意思的聊天本来就需要不同观点碰撞。另一头呢，也有人把每次分歧都当成必须争个输赢的battle。这次来跟Chris聊聊，他是雅思和沟通教练，他的俱乐部向来是笑声不断、互动拉满。这场工作坊聚焦一项特别实用、但也比想象中难掌握的沟通技能：怎么在坦诚表达反对的同时，还能让对话保持友好。

我们会把"分歧"这件事拆解得近乎科学。怎么质疑一个观点又不攻击对方这个人？你的用词、语气，甚至你提的问题，是怎么彻底改变分歧氛围的？什么时候该把话说软一点，什么时候又该硬气地守住立场？通过案例、迷你挑战、角色扮演，还有大量真实的意见碰撞，你会练习如何表达强烈观点、回应反对声音，并且让对话继续推进而不是直接聊死。目标不是让你变得更随和，而是让你更擅长"反对"这件事。现场互动很多，会有一些故意挑事的观点，当然也少不了笑声——我们一起练习，把原本让人尴尬的分歧，变成深入聊天和建立更强连接的绝佳方式。