How To Communicate Effectively With Difficult People: When to Tell the Truth, When to Push Back, and Why Kindness Isn't the Same as Being Nice | Sharon Salzberg episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 8, 2026 · 1H 8M

How To Communicate Effectively With Difficult People: When to Tell the Truth, When to Push Back, and Why Kindness Isn't the Same as Being Nice | Sharon Salzberg

from 10% Happier with Dan Harris

Plus: the four questions the Buddha said you should ask before you speak, the truth about gossip, and what to do when compassion and honesty pull in opposite directions. Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She is among the first to bring mindfulness & lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture fifty years ago.  In this episode we talk about: What the Buddha actually said about how to talk to people, and why almost none of us were ever taught it  The four questions to ask yourself before you open your mouth  Whether white lies are ever okay  The difference between being kind and being nice  Is it ever okay to gossip?  Why shame is the enemy of change, and what "right" in right speech actually means  How to remember any of this when you're mid-conversation with a difficult person Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris Rosetta Stone – Get 20% off your Rosetta Stone Sapphire subscription when you sign up today. Visit rosettastone.com/happier  Square –   Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at square.com/go/happier #squarepod Leesa — Go to leesa.com for 25% off select mattresses, plus get an extra $50 off with promo code HAPPIER. OneSkin: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code HAPPIER at https://www.oneskin.co/HAPPIER  #oneskinpod  

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How To Communicate Effectively With Difficult People: When to Tell the Truth, When to Push Back, and Why Kindness Isn't the Same as Being Nice | Sharon Salzberg

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