If someone says something you don’t like, but you still want to help them (or need to collaborate with them), try this:

What I like about that idea is…

And ___

Fill the blank with another idea that’s triggered by what you liked about their idea.

Don’t lie, but fill out “What I like about that idea…“ with the assumption that the other person is at least 10% right in their idea, and fill it with that 10%.

“What I like about that idea is how it addresses the clients’ concerns.

And you could make it even better if you used a label, “It seems like…”, “It sounds like…”, “It feels like…”

Josh