Jim Coleman Quotes

To disagree, one doesn't have to be disagreeable.

I just don't believe that you have to come in and insult people when you want to change things.

We had many more points of agreement than we had points of difference, but we did differ, and the bigger we got, the more insistent we got that each one of us should have his way.

I am totally down with disagreement. I don't like Haterade, but disagreement is wonderful. When someone disagrees, we try to reach common ground. That's good.

It is better to discuss things, to argue and engage in polemics than make perfidious plans of mutual destruction.

The only way to conduct an effective collaboration is to debate the things upon which you disagree. If one doesn't manage to bring the other around to his point of view, then whichever collaborator feels the most passionate about the thing being debated ought to get his way.

Well, you can't argue with somebody that won't argue back.

We find comfort among those who agree with us - growth among those who don't.

I'd much rather have 15 people arguing about something than 15 people splitting into two camps, each side convinced it's right and not talking to the other.

There can be differences of opinion without there being personal differences.

I can do whatever I want. They will tell me if what I am doing is stupid or a total waste of time. I may tell them that they are wrong, and we will come to an agreement.

You cannot compromise unless people talk to you.

We may disagree on some things, but we can do so without being disagreeable.

I think I won't do for your business at all, but personally I have no fight with you. You can go on and save all the critics you can, but don't send them to me.

We are disagreeing. We are failing to reach compromises. But we are not killing each other.

Hold on. It’s not a fight. It’s a discussion.

You don’t want an appointee who will agree with you all the time. If two smart people are both thinking they are going to disagree with each other sooner or later. You want an appointee who may not always agree with you but one of whom you can always be proud.

There are good people on both sides of almost every issue.

I don’t expect anyone to just sit there and agree with me, that’s not their job.

No two men ever devised plans of action to accomplish a particular object without finding that there were differences in their plans. That is peculiarly the case in international affairs.

You don't promote the cause of peace by talking only to people with whom you agree.

When I am contradicted it arouses my attention, not my wrath. I move toward the man who contradicts me: he is instructing me. The cause of truth ought to be common to both of us.

If we can’t agree on the facts, how can we agree on the solutions?

I think it's important to understand people can disagree on things, and still move forward.

Activism is a very admirable way to create change, but it has to go hand in hand with personal contact with the people with whom we have opposing points of view; without that, there will never be any movement.