Listen carefully to the other side. If you listen carefully enough, you ll find that the other side often gives you good clues about how to solve the problem. Don t formulate a response until you give the other side a chance to express their thoughts and ideas. If you interrupt while the other party is talking, you ll miss a lot of good stuff. Think about watching a tennis player return the ball.
Good players let the ball hit the ground before they take a whack.
Players who predetermine their whack before the ball hits the ground get skinned. Do not personalize statements made by the other side. If you personalize, you ll get your thin skin handed back to you, wrapped up in a loss. You are not there to argue about whether you are overprotective or nasty. The school has to deal with nasty parents.